Silver Rain, Crimson Snow
by Rhiannon98
Summary: What if, the Noah were never truly evil? What if, the Black Order of the past did something to make them this way? What was Nea's true reason for rebelling against the Noah? What will Allen, Kanda, Lavi, and Lenalee do when they find out what it was? And can they work with the Noah without killing each other? Let's find out! Rated for language and battle. Eventual Allen/Road
1. Prologue

_**...Prologue...**_

I never expected my life to go in the direction it did on that fateful day. The day I landed on a Black Allen, a pissed Tyki, bored Road, hyper Lavi, annoyed Lenalee, and Kanda... but more on that later.

I guess you could say my childhood was fairly normal, or as normal as it can be, when, technically, you don't exist. You see, I am only half human. What is my other half, you ask? My question for you is, have you ever heard of the Fae? You know, faeries, elves, trolls, nymphs, and so forth? Oh, you have! Well, that saves me a lot of time that I would have had to use to explain. Anyway, my people spent half our time hiding from humans, and the other half playing tricks on them and each other. But, don't misunderstand, we don't hate them or want to kill them, far from it. Most of us, anyway...

Back to the landing on people part. You see, I was never one for running on the edge of cliffs, but that day, I was running for my life from the very beings I was sworn to protect the secrets of with my life, and then, everything changed.

* * *

**Okay, I swear it gets better in the next chapter, so don't give up on me. All of the main characters are seen in the next chapter, so read on!**


	2. First Encounters

_**...Chapter One: First Encounters...**_

My breath got heavier, the sound of my pulse raging in my head, I vaguely heard feet pounding the earth behind me as I ran. In my mind, I kept repeating the words _Don't stop. Keep running. Never look back, _over and over, like a prayer, the only thing keeping me going. I knew, if I stopped, if they caught me, I would be executed on the spot. My baggy clothes snagged on low hanging branches and bushes again and again, but I didn't care. My hair repeatedly whipped me in the face from the wind. The forest I was sprinting through was dark and cold, and I shivered as the wind bit through me to the bone. Absorbed in my thoughts, I didn't notice the edge of a cliff drawing nearer and nearer, and the sounds of a heated argument coming from below it. Suddenly, my black boot slipped over the edge, and I felt open air beneath me.

* * *

_Three days ago_

Allen would always regret agreeing to go on a mission with Kanda. Honestly, he just never listened. And now Lenalee, Lavi, and Bookman had decided to tag along. And that never went well. Lenalee was trying to get Kanda to coöperate( you can imagine how well that would turn out), Lavi was staring at her and any girl passing by in the windy weather, and Bookman was hitting him with his scrolls.

"Lenalee, shouldn't we just get to the boat? Komui will kill all of us if we are late in getting the Innocence again and the Noah get to it first. Well, all of us except you..." Allen said to the female Exorcist.

"Why would you care if the Noah get there first, aren't you one of them, Moyashi?!" Kanda shouted at the younger.

"Shut it, Ba-Kanda! How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not working with them!? I didn't even know about the 14th until recently, didn't I!?"

"Hey, guys, calm down, alright? Maybe we should get goin-"

"Shut up, Baka Usagi!" Allen and Kanda said in unison. Lenalee and Bookman just stared at the three, at a loss for words. They hadn't had an argument this bad for a while.

"Should we stop them?" Lenalee asked.

"No, just leave them be. If they don't get it out of their systems now, they will be like this the entire journey to Romania." Figuring Bookman knew what he was talking about, she contented herself with re-checking the grocery bags. For the third time. Allen had sneaked little bits of food while they waited at the cold harbor. The clouds above them looked ominous, like it would be raining soon. The three male Exorcists were still arguing like an old married couple... and their crotchety neighbor.

"Guys, the ship is scheduled to be here any minute, let's go!" Lenalee shouted over her shoulder as she ran down the docks. And there it was, the _Siren's_ _Song._

"Woah, that's the largest ship I have ever seen!" Lavi exclaimed in wonder.

"Well, it is meant to travel around the world without stopping for supplies." Bookman explained to his young apprentice.

"Let's just get on and find our cabins!" Kanda growled.

"Aww, c'mon, Yuu, what if we want to explore the decks?"

"Don't call me that!"

Allen rolled his eyes, suddenly glad he had brought a deck of cards with him. Maybe he could trick some of the other passengers to play a few rounds of poker with him...

* * *

"I still don't understand why we have to take a boat to get to Romania when we can just use one of your doors." Tyki complained, completely exhausted, and just wanting to finish his new book.

"Because I said so! And this way you can get away from your brother for a while longer~" Road sing-songed. Tyki had to admit she had a good point. "And besides, the _Siren's Song_ is the best ship in the world, and I've heard it has a full library on-board~" Dammit, she had him.

"Well, let's get this over with."

* * *

_Three days later_

"Ugh, I am never taking a boat anywhere again." After the long boat ride, a brief stop in Istanbul, and another, shorter, boat ride, they were finally in Romania. The first ride had been smooth and clear, with bright sunlight, wind blowing in just the direction they needed, and even dolphins following on the starboard bow. But the second, on the other hand... Horrible rain, constant wind, and choppy waves that rocked the boat all through the night. After docking, and more than a little retching over the side, they were finally on solid ground. They were now in the coastal town of Sulina, and the sun was just coming over the horizon.

"Well, let's get a move on. We need to be in Bistrita by nightfall!" Lavi yelled as they got their bags together. Kanda glared at his retreating back. This was going to be a long walk.

* * *

Tyki was now thoroughly pissed. Road had not stayed quiet the entire three-day trip, and he hadn't gotten a single page farther in his book. Now he just wanted to find this Innocence and go home, even if he had to deal with Sheril. His perverted older brother was the least of his worries right at this moment, because as he was absorbed in his thoughts, he could have sworn he saw a distinctive head of white hair walking away from where he was standing on the top deck of the smaller, much less comfortable ship that they had boarded in Istanbul. _Wait, that can't be Allen. But, is it? I can't tell with him facing away from me. Come on, turn around... there! So it is him! Won't Road be thrilled? _ Tyki thought. "Hey, Road!" he said aloud. "Guess who I just saw walking down the pier?"

* * *

"Can we please stop here? We've walked for almost 13 hours straight! We only had a short break for lunch, and that was five hours ago. It's getting dark now!" As it was highly unusual to hear Lenalee complain, the male members of the team gladly complied. Allen especially, as his stomach was making noises similar to an animal being slaughtered.

"Let's stop there! That cliff should give us some cover from the wind." Looking up, Allen saw that the cliff they were camping under went almost straight up for almost one hundred and fifty feet, except were it curved in slightly near the bottom. _Man, it would really hurt to fall from that. _"Come on, let's get out the food and blankets and rest here a while." Allen was shocked that all the members of their team nodded their consent, even Kanda, albeit more grudgingly then the rest. They pulled out three small, worn blankets, set them down close to each other, and had a modest dinner of bread, cold ham, and water from a stream Bookman had seen on the way through the woods. As they sat, talking and eating, the weather shifted imperceptibly, becoming colder and getting ready to snow. Allen felt a chill go almost to the bone, and shivered as the November wind seemed to arc down from the cliff. He looked up, confused, and then jumped as the bushes rustled in front of them, in the direction they had just come from.

"Well, well, look who it is! And here I was, thinking I was going crazy seeing you on the docks, when we didn't run into each other a single time on the ship. Tell me, where were you hiding?" a familiar, deep voice said, followed by a tall form slowly walking out of the shade of the trees. As the figure came closer, another, smaller figure appeared next to it. When they came into the light of the setting sun, the Exorcists immediately jumped up, already calling on their Innocence for battle. Walking toward them was Tyki Mikk and Road Kamelot. Road was giving Allen a possessive look.

"What do you mean, how didn't we run into each other on the ship? You mean you were there the entire trip from England?" Allen said, already angry with himself for not sensing them earlier.

"Well, yes. Oh, don't get upset, we didn't notice either, until I saw you on the docks. Now, how would you like us to kill you?"

"I don't think so! Innocence, ACTIVATE!" Suddenly, they all heard rocks rolling down the side of the cliff directly above them, and looked up shocked. They then heard a short, female scream, and a figure dressed in all black landed on top of Lavi, who had eaten too much sugar and was bouncing on his heels, and a very annoyed Kanda.

* * *

**Well, what do you all think of my first story? Feel free to tell me if you want to see more characters, I'm open to criticism!**


	3. Internal Conflict

_**...Chapter Two: Internal Conflict...**_

_What the hell was that? _Tyki thought. He looked up the cliff face just in time to see a black shape fall, and then land on two of the Exorcists. _Why that Asian swordsman of all people? And that rabbit looking one with the hammer? _There was a solid sounding thump, and both Exorcists groaned in pain.

"Owww..." moaned a female voice. _Wait, who was that? It couldn't be the person who just fell, no one could have survived that! _

"Would you idiots get over here and help me!?" Kanda growled at the others, who jumped at the sound of his voice. Allen, Lenalee, and Bookman went to where the two were currently being crushed in a pile of limbs. On top of them, all they could see was a mass of tangled, black and white hair, and a pair of black riding boots that had seen better days. Based on the scream, groan, and hair, they guessed this new object of conversation was female.

"Hey girl, you alright?" Allen asked hesitantly.

"I think so. Can you help me stand, though?" a heavily accented, and clearly female, voice answered. Allen then saw a slim, manicured hand reach up from the tangle of appendages. He grabbed it and pulled, and the girl worked herself loose. When she had succeeded, and was on her own two feet, Allen stared in shock. She was tall, taller than him, making her at least 5'9", and thin, too thin; even though she was wearing a baggy, black sweater, one sleeve was slipping off her shoulder, revealing a deep indent where her collar-bone was. She had several piercings in both ears, several silver studs, and two connecting chains on her right ear, silver studs and a thin sliver bar on a chain on the left, and one on the left side of her nose. Then, after she brushed her hair out of her eyes, he got a clear view of her face. High, defined cheekbones, aquiline nose, rosebud lips, perfectly arched eyebrows, and almond-shaped eyes, all framed by blue-black hair with two silver streaks that made her bangs. He could also see her hair was very long; even tangled, it still went past her knees. But then, he got a good look at her eyes. They were a deep violet, with pale blue around the irises, which were slitted, like a cats. Whatever this girl was, she wasn't human. But still, he felt like he had known her for years.

"What is taking you so long over there?" Tyki asked, exasperated. He and Road, who had been oddly silent this whole time, walked to where Allen was standing, still holding this strange girls hand, and Kanda and Lavi were painfully pulling themselves off the ground. When the Noah finally could see the girl who took an impromptu flying lesson, they had a similar reaction to Allen; when they saw her clearly, they immediately felt that they had known her for many, many years, though they couldn't remember seeing her before today. Allen and the girl were still having a staring contest, until the girl glanced down, her feline eyes confused about why this young man, whom she had just met, was holding her hand like an old friend. "Ummm..." she mumbled.

"Oh! I am so sorry!" Allen said, after catching her look. He let her hand fall.

The Noah were done with being ignored. Road glared slightly, then plastered a fake, sugary sweet smile on her face. She lightly bounced over to Allen and the newcomer, causing her to back up slightly, "I like your ear piercings! Did any of them hurt?"

The girls strange eyes shifted to the Noah. "Um, my name is Rhiannon. Might I ask who you are?" she asked politely. Now they were all very confused. Here was a girl who had obviously been raised in a rich household, running around the forest in baggy, worn clothes, and pants of all things, and had also crash landed on two Exorcists after falling off a hundred and fifty foot cliff, and she was trying to strike up a conversation like nothing had happened. She wasn't even afraid of the Noah, or Kanda, who had been glaring at her, and was slowly drawing his sword. _This girl clearly has no sense of fear, why do I recognize her, when I would have remembered meeting her before today? A face like that is hard to forget. What is going on here? _Tyki's inner monologue was getting longer and longer. _And why do I feel so attracted to her, and like something is tugging me to her? Who is this girl, this Rhiannon? _So many questions were chasing each other around his brain. "You aren't human." It wasn't a question.

"Neither are you." she stated, matter-of-factly.

* * *

Now I was really confused. I had just fallen down an almost sheer cliff, which wasn't high enough to hurt me much, though landing on two of these strange people still stung. One of them, the red-head, kept staring at me, _Well, he has no shame;_ the other, who looked Japanese, was glowering, and his gaze shifted from me to the two standing closest to the trees, who both had skin an odd shade of umber and gold eyes. It was obvious to me that they weren't entirely human. One was a tall man, wearing a trench coat with hair to his mid-back, the other a small girl, wearing a white dress that seemed to stick almost straight out, who appeared to be in her early teens, but you can never tell with inhuman creatures. When I saw the man's face up close, something in the back of my mind whispered _Joido, Joido, it's Joido, at last... Wait, what the hell was that? _ I saw a spark of recognition in their eyes, the same I had seen in the silver-haired teens.

"I have told you my name, now may I please know yours?" I asked calmly, though to be honest, I was freaking out. I knew that the Fae I was running from would find me soon, and I couldn't risk these innocent people getting hurt, and whatever had whispered in the back of my mind had _not_ been my voice. I had never met them before, and yet I recognized three of them, and knew I had to protect them.

"Oh, I apologize. I am the Bookman, this is my apprentice Lavi, the man standing next to him is Kanda. The young woman next to me is Lenalee, and the young man who helped you is Allen Walker. I believe the Noah would rather introduce themselves." said a man I hadn't noticed before. He was short, and had black marks around his eyes. _Looks like makeup. _

"I am Road Kamelot, and this is Tyki Mikk. How did you know we aren't normal humans, and how much do you know?" The girl in the white dress asked threateningly.

"Lucky guess." She looked confused, so I pointed to my eyes. Road( I believe that was her name) looked appeased. _Tyki, huh? So where did the name Joido come from? _

"So, where you from, gorgeous? That's an interesting accent you have there." I turned to glare at the red-head, who had been introduced as Lavi. I noticed Tyki gave him an odd look, too.

"Why should I tell you anything, when I know absolutely nothing about you?" I didn't want to tell him my accent was a mix of Romanian and Irish, as I had spent my childhood going back and forth to the two countries, switching languages as I did so. I also didn't want to tell him my age, 19 almost 20, because, based on how old he looked and the glances he kept giving me, he would start flirting relentlessly, and I worried what the others would do if I hit him upside the head with an iron skillet. Where I would get said iron skillet was not the first thing on my mind at the moment, as I could hear several people running, getting closer and closer by the second. "Look, I really should be going now, um, just keep doing... whatever it was you were doing before I crash-landed into your conversta-" Suddenly, I felt a large amount of magic energy flying through the air, coming straight at where we were standing. I knew if any of the normal humans were hit with it, it could kill them immediately, and the Noah could be severely injured. Without thinking, I turned, raised my hand, and deflected it with my own spell. I caught it just in time, as Allen was still standing next to me, but then saw the astonished looks each one of them was giving me, and knew I had blown my cover as a small town girl who had been lost in the woods. _Damn it all, how did they find me so quickly?_

* * *

**So, what do you all think of how the story is going? Is there a character you want to see or hear more from? Do you think they are OOC? Please let me know, I won't take offense! Just remember, THIS IS NOT A SELF INSERT!  
**


	4. Invoke the Stars

_**...Chapter Three: Invoke the Stars...**_

After successfully deflecting the spell, it soared back in the direction it had come. When it reached the tree line, it simply dissipated. _That was definitely meant for a human, or it would have leveled those trees. Now, who is following me this time?_

"I know you are there! Come out into the open, and fight with honor!" I shouted. No response.

"Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil tú ann! Tar amach ar an oscailt, agus troid le onóir!" After I repeated my statement in Irish, I got the response I was hoping for. Seven higher level, noble Dark Fae, walked out of the trees, followed by several lower level monster type Fae and four hell-hounds. And I do mean, _out _of the trees. They materialized out of the trunks of the ancient pines surrounding the large clearing.

_It just had to be hell-hounds. Why is it always hell-hounds?_

* * *

_Just what the hell is this girl? First knowing Exorcist from Noah, now magic powers and speaking in different languages? What could possibly be next? _Tyki just really wanted this day to be over. The girl, Rhiannon, was now facing away from them, feet squared and fists clenched, her expression blank, looking at the people who had literally just walked out of the freaking _trees, _and all had green hair that looked like grass and glowing yellow eyes with no pupils. They were surrounded by what looked like wolves that had been slashed to bits, killed, buried, then dug up and brought back to life. It was clear she was ready to fight them, but how could she fight them alone?

"Vasya Vanya, et surge, et fulgeant, ut accendantur semper ad caelum." _Wait, was that Latin? This day just gets better and better._

* * *

I knew it would be difficult to fight the nobles on my own, so I called in a little help "Vasya Vanya, et surge, et fulgeant, ut accendantur semper ad caelum" _Vasya and Vanya, arise and shine forth, to burn the skies. _

_Please, oh please, help me save these people. I don't know why, but I don't want any of them to be hurt. _This fight would take all of my remaining strength, I had been on the run too long. My arms and legs were covered in deep cuts and scratches, my back bruised from being hit with a mace (don't ask), and I haven't slept in days. To fight these tree spirits, I would have to call on the twin swords, the Sisters From the Stars. They had been handed down through my family, the Dragomirs, for centuries, and only answered to the leader of the clan.

**_How may we serve you, Lady Dragomir?_**I heard their voices combine in my mind.

_Can you aid me in defeating those Dark Fae?_

**_Of course, but it will cost you later. _**

_It always does. _After this thought, the long-swords appeared in my hands, one pure silver, the other black as night.

* * *

_This girl can't seriously be thinking of fighting those men alone, that would be insane! _Allen thought. _We have to help her, we can worry about the Noah later! _He voiced his last thought to the others in his team, who all agreed. The Noah looked insulted. "We can still hear you, you know!" Tyki yelled. "And what if we want to help her as well?"

"Why would a Noah want to help anyone but themselves?"

"No, all of you stay back! This is my fight!" Rhiannon shouted.

"Are you insane , girl?! There's no way we're just gonna stand back from this!" Kanda shouted back, aggravated by her seeming lack of faith in them. If only he knew the truth.

"You don't understand, these people are much more powerful than you think!"

"Shut up, woman! We're fighting them, and nothing you say can stop us!"

* * *

_Did he just call me woman? _

**_It would seem so, Lady. _**

Now I was furious. No one had ever dared to call me that, or defied an order from me. _I really need to get out more._

While all this was happening, the Dark Fae were inching closer and closer, hoping no one had noticed. When they were fifty feet away, I turned and swung Vanya, the black sword in my right hand, and sent a fire spell in their direction, vaporizing half of the monsters, and one of the hell-hounds. The leader glared and shouted, "Ionsaí! Taispeáin aon trócaire!" (Attack! Show no mercy!), and charged. The others followed, raising their weapons, seven foot spears, and ran straight toward Allen and his comrades, and Tyki and Road. _Damn, why not me? _"Cén fáth a bhfuil tú ag ionsaí orthu? Tá sé dom ba mhaith leat!" (Why are you attacking them? It's me you want!) When I said this, they turned in my direction, and Kanda jumped one of them, pulling him into battle. Allen changed his left arm into a sword ( now there's something you don't see everyday), and charged the last of the hell-hounds. Lenalee's boots changed shape, but no other weapons appeared. _She must be a martial artist. _She then attacked one of the Fae. Bookman unfurled his scroll, which revealed many needles, and sent them towards the remainder of the monsters. Lavi unhooked a small hammer from his thigh- _how will that help?- _and said, "Big hammer, little hammer, grow, grow, GROW!" and it increased in size to be twelve feet tall. _Oh. So that's how. _He then said, "Innocence level 2, release! Fire stamp:Hellfire and Ash!" and slammed the hammer to the ground, creating a serpent of fire, which destroyed two of the Fae. Tyki and Road both smiled in the most sadistic way possible. Road was then surrounded by dozens of floating candles, which she sent soaring at one of the last Fae, and Tyki released several black butterflies from his arm, which ate through the skin of one of the last two, who then ran screaming into the trees, and dissapeared.

_Alright, ladies, now it's our turn._

**_We are at your command, Lady Dragomir._**

* * *

"I know that you want to help, but I must be the one to fight the last one. He is the leader." _This girl is out of her mind. _Tyki thought. _She looks like she hasn't slept or ate in days, and is looking worse by the minute, and she wants to fight that guy? _

"Please stay back. Let me do this on my own." She then launched herself at the last of the green-haired men, and proceeded to battle him. _She has skill with a sword. _As she fought, she got closer and closer to the man, eventually breaking his spear in half. The halves of the spear changed into broken tree limbs, and then dissolved in a black mist.

"Cé hé do mháistir, agus cad é do na críche sin anseo?" She asked him.

"Más rud é nach bhfuil a fhios agat go bhfuil, ná go bhfuil tú chomh maith marbh, agus mar sin go bhfuil do chairde beag seasamh taobh thiar duit." She glared, then ran him through. When she pulled the silver blade out, his body dissolved the same way the spear did. When he was completely gone, his companions bodies did the same.

"Et Vasy Vanya, ut luceat lux est in via" Rhiannon said, and her swords glowed, the disappeared. To where, Tyki had no idea.

"Alright girl, you owe us an explanation. What are you, and who were they?" Tyki said. Rhiannon shifted her eyes to him, a look of unfathomable sadness in them.

"How much time do you have?"

* * *

**Alright, another chapter done! Next, you get to find out more about Rhia, and why she was running off cliffs. Which Noah do you want to appear next?  
**


	5. True Nature

_**...Chapter Four: True Nature...**_

"You've got ten minutes girl, and if your answer seems like a lie, I'll kill you myself!"

"Kanda, shut up, man. So, what's your sign, sweetheart?" Kanda then pushed Lavi to the ground.

"Enough with your constant flirting, Baka Usagi!" He unsheathed Mugen and pointed it at Rhiannon, three inches from her face. "Tell us who and what you really are, or lose your nose."

Tyki saw the look of pure terror on her face, and caught her eye. When she saw the ( hopefully) reassuring look he gave her, she seemed to relax.

"Let's not get hasty." He walked to where Rhiannon was standing, stepped around Kanda, and grabbed her hand. When he did, a pleasant warmth traveled it's way up his arm. Ignoring it, he pulled her to a small outcropping of rocks, where they both sat down. He released her hand, although he didn't want to, and asked, "Now, can you please tell us more about you?"

* * *

"Well, you already know my first name, and that I'm not human, what more do you want to know?" I didn't want to talk with Kanda, Lavi, Bookman, and Lenalee here, but it looks like I don't have much of a choice.

_Please don't ask_- "Your full name, age, and where you're from to start." _Damn. It just had to be that._

"My full name is Rhiannon Caterina Camellia Nicola Alexandria Ambrosia Pietrovitch Dragomir, though most people call me Rhia." The others all blinked in shock. _My name always gets that reaction... _"I am 19 years old, and will be 20 in June. My family is a mix of Irish, Scottish, Russian, Romanian, and Italian, and I have spent my childhood traveling the different countries, never staying in one place for long."

"So, what language were you speaking earlier?" Lenalee spoke up.

"Is that really important right now?! What the fuck are you, and what were those guys earlier? How did they disappear after they died?!" Kanda yelled.

_Well, he has a mouth on him. _"I do not think you will believe me if I told you."

"Get off your high horse and tell us!"

"Uh, I apologize for his behavior. Can you please tell us what you are, if you aren't human?" Allen asked politely. _T__hose two are polar opposites. No wonder they don't get along well. _

I sighed to myself, but Tyki heard me, and glanced my way, even though we were seated less than five feet from each other. This was the question I had been dreading.

"Alright, I'll tell you. But if anyone finds out about this, I will be executed..."

* * *

_She has a flare for the dramatic. _Tyki thought. He looked down to where her hand rested, a few inches from his, wanting to hold it again. But not in front of the Exorcists. Road was giving him a knowing look, like she knew his thoughts. _Little brat. She's never going to let this die. _Rhiannon looked him in the eyes again, like she was searching for reassurance, then sighed again, looking defeated.

"What do any of you know of the Fae?"

Allen looked shocked, Kanda snorted, Lavi and Lenalee looked confused, and the Bookman looked like he had just gotten the answer to the meaning of life.

"The Fae? They're just a myth, bedtime stories to scare small children. Do you honestly expect us to believe they exist?" Kanda growled.

"Wait, Kanda. That would explain a lot. I mean, how else could those people have walked out of the trees?"

"Allen's right. Those men were Fae, pretty young ones by the looks of them. But... so am I." _That explains the eyes. Can't think of any other way for her to have them, unless she was cursed. _

"Do you really think we'll believe any of that shit?! Tell us the truth!"

"I did! If you don't want to believe it, that's your problem. Now if you would excuse me, I have somewhere to be!" Rhiannon snapped. She stood up and started to walk into the tree line. Tyki was about to follow her when a message from the Earl went through his head. He and Road were to come home immediately.

"Well, this has been interesting, but we must be going. Until next time, Allen~" Road said to the Exorcists. They then walk through an Ark door, which materialized where Rhiannon had been sitting.

"I'm going after her. Kanda, don't say anything to her, you've upset her enough." Allen then sprinted into the woods, in the same direction as Rhiannon. The moon was rising behind the clouds, and snow started to drift down, creating an eerie scene. He ran for ten minutes before he saw her walking away, shivering in her thin sweater and jeans.

"Rhiannon, wait!" She turned and saw Allen, and seemed to want to turn around and run, then thought better of it. Allen caught up to her, and, after catching his breath, asked, "Will you come with us, to the Black Order?"

"Black Order? What's that?"

"I can explain on the way there, but first let's get you some warm food and dry clothes. What do you say?"

She looked deep in thought, and rocked back on her heels, then said, "Alright. But you owe me a good chicken soup." she joked.

Allen laughed, and nodded in agreement. "Then let's wait for the others, then head back to town and find an Inn."

* * *

**I know this chapter is shorter than the others, but guess who shows up next? The twins, Sheril, and the Earl! So, why do you think Rhia knows Allen, Road, and Tyki, and who do you want to see more of? By the way, this takes place right after the Black Order moves to England, so for the sake of the story, let's say everything that happens after that never happens, and all the Noah have awakened. The story is set in the 1850's.  
**


	6. Dark Descendants

_**...Chapter Five: Dark Descendants... **_

After waiting for the others, and walking for roughly another twenty minutes, the Exorcists and Rhia were finally at an Inn, and out of the snow, which was getting heavier. _If it keeps up like this, we'll be stuck here for a few days. _Allen thought. Kanda had glared at Rhia the entire walk, but stayed silent. They now sat around a table at the Inn, in front of a roaring fire, sipping tea.

"So, Rhia, can you tell us more about the Fae?"

"Yes, what do you want to know?"

"Well, do you have any other powers than the fire spell you used earlier?"

She sighed again. "Yes, I do. I can control all the elements, have heightened senses. I can run faster than any human, and can heal myself and others. I can also use glamour."

They all nodded, seeming to understand, then Lavi asked, "Glamour? What's that?"

"It's a sort of magic barrier that surrounds the user, creating an illusion of a different appearance, or hiding them completely."

"Sounds cool! Are you using one?" Lavi was bouncing in his seat, excited at this new information.

"No, a glamour uses much magic energy, and I have almost none left. Those men have been chasing me for several months, and, originally, I used a glamour to hide among humans, but that became too tiring, and I had several close calls where they almost caught me. And, as you saw, they wanted to kill me."

"But, why? That's what we don't understand." Bookman asked.

"I know something about their master, which, if found out, could mean his head."

"Why is that?" Lavi asked. Before Rhia could answer, Bookman said, "The Fae are a long-lived race. They have been feared for many centuries, and when a group of humans discovered one, they would kill him or her without hesitation. Because of this, the fae have withdrawn from human society for a long time, and are only now starting to re-emerge, but in disguise."

Rhia looked shocked that he knew all of this, "How did you come by this information?"

"I am of the Bookman clan, we record the history of this world, and all the people in it. The Fae have shown up many times in history."

"Oh. I didn't know the Bookman clan was aware of the Fae." She looked apologetic.

"I didn't know the Fae were aware of the Bookman clan."

Suddenly, Lenalee yawned. Allen smiled slightly and said, "We've all had a long day, how about we all get some sleep. Rhia, you'll be rooming with Lenalee."

"Alright, see you all in the morning."

The girls walked to their room, leaving the men in the dining room.

"Huh. Interesting girl." Lavi said.

* * *

_Three days later  
_

The Exorcists were now back in England, walking toward the main gate of the Black Order. The boat ride from Romania had been uneventful, and Allen was explaining the basics of the Order.

"So, Akuma are human souls that are brought back to life by the Millennium Earl, and the Noah are humans who have an awakened "Noah gene". They can control the Akuma, and have powers created by Dark Matter. They have no problem killing normal humans, and have made it their life's goal to destroy the Order, and the Innocence that we use as weapons to kill the Akuma." They were now walking through the main hall, to Komui's office. Rhia seemed to understand everything Allen was telling her.

They then heard an argument ahead of them, getting closer, like those arguing were walking in their direction. The Exorcists recognized Komui's voice, and the other was vaguely familiar. As the voices got closer, Lenalee froze.

"... don't know why you have to do this to her, she doesn't even know what the Order is, or if she can trust us. We have to leave her alone, we can't risk any repercussions."

"That's enough Komui. I just want to interview her, for now." Then Allen knew why he knew that voice, and why Lenalee froze. Rounding the corner was Malcolm C. Lvellie.

"You, girl. Follow me. You are now in my custody." He pointed at Rhiannon. She looked at Allen, unsure of what to do. He tried to convey that he couldn't do anything to change Lvellie's mind, and she seemed to understand. She started to follow him, then Lvellie glanced back and said, "And Kanda, thank you for informing me about this girl."

* * *

Tyki wouldn't admit it aloud, but he was glad to be home, even if he had to deal with Sheril. Who was currently swooning over Road. _He seriously gives me the creeps. He does know she's older than him, right? _

"Oh, my darling Road, you just get cuter by the day! Oh, but don't think I forgot about you, little brother!" He then tried to kiss Tyki, who blatantly refused. While they were struggling, the Earl walked into the study with Devit and Jasdero. The twins were pointing their guns at each others heads.

"Tyki-pet, you're back so soon! Did you succeed in getting the Innocence?"

"Sadly, no. You called us back before we had a chance to find it, we were intercepted by a group of Exorcist, and Allen Walker was with them. By the way, why did you call us back so early?"

"Allen Walker? Well, that can't be helped. I called you back because the other Noah have started to awaken, and we must go to meet them when they do."

"You left out the part where we met _that_ girl, Tyki." _Dammit, Road, why did you have to bring that up? _

"Oooh, a girl? Well, what did she look like? Couldn't have been cuter then my Road~."

"Hahaha, so Tyki fell for a girl, did he? Well, what's the story? Did she have a rockin' bod?" Devit joked.

"I did _not _fall for her. We had a brief conversation after she fell of a cliff and landed on two of the Exorcists." The other Noah blinked in shock.

"Wait... she fell off a cliff... onto two of the Exorcists?" Devit asked, looking puzzled.

"And she didn't run when she saw you? Were you in your Noah form?" Sheril asked.

"Yes to both of you. She was running from someone, and fell off the edge of a cliff. She landed on two of the Exorcists, who we were about to fight. We talked with her because she looked scared of the Exorcists, but seemed to trust Road and I."

"So she's scared of Exorcists, but trusts us Noah~" the Earl mused. "Well, we can look into that later. Tell us more about this girl. Was she beautiful?"

Tyki drifted into his memories, thinking about what Rhiannon looked like. He didn't want to tell the others about her being Fae, but knew it would come up. "She was very beautiful, and acted like a noblewoman. She had long black and silver hair, and purple and blue eyes. She was very tall, and thin. She was taller than Walker, without heeled shoes. I don't know if she was a noble or not, but said she was a Fae."

"A Fae?" The Earl asked, seeming deep in thought.

"Wait, did you say silver hair and purple eyes?" asked Sheril.

"Well sort of, but-" Tyki was cut off.

"That sounds suspiciously like a Scottish noblewoman who went missing, and then was found murdered with her husband about three and a half years ago. I have the report here somewhere, I'll go look."

"But, wait-" Sheril was gone. He came back a few minutes later, with an old folder of papers.

"Here she is,'Cairistiona Pietrovitch, daughter of the Duchess of Argyll and the Russian Lord Pietrovitch, and her husband, the Romanian Lord Dragomir, were found murdered at their country estate in Northern Scotland. They leave behind their nine children, eight sons and one daughter. The suspected murderer is their son, Alexander, sixteen, who has fled the country and disappeared.' There's a picture of the family in the file." He handed the photograph to Tyki. He saw a woman in the middle of it; she had long silver hair cascading over her shoulders, with an older looking man standing behind her. Next to him was a young man in his early twenties and two younger men who looked to be in their late teens. To the left of the woman were four boys, who looked to be about fourteen, and all looked almost exactly alike. To her right were two teens, one a boy, who had black hair with a silver streak in the middle of his forehead, and next to him, holding his hand, was-

"Hey, that's her! That's the girl!" Tyki pointed to Rhiannon's face in the photo. _So she is nobility._

"That's the girl you met. Huh. She is pretty good looking." Devit said, looking over Tyki's shoulder.

"Yes, she is. So, she's a Dragomir..." Sheril trailed off.

"Why do you sound surprised?" Tyki asked.

"Because her father was a good man."

"You knew him?"

"Not well, though I wish I had. He was one of the few honest politicians, and didn't do what he wanted, or do anything for personal gain."

_He does sound like a good man. No wonder Rhia's eyes looked so sad, if she had to go through this at an early age. Yet, why am I so infuriated by this? _And he was. Just thinking about Rhiannon being put through this made his blood boil.

"Well, enough of that~. We must prepare for the return of the Noah clan~." The Earl smiled like a maniac, then seemed to lose his glow.

"It's alright Earl, we'll get the Fourteenth back someday~!" Road sing-songed.

"You're right, Road. We mustn't dwell on the past, and hope to see our long-lost brother and sister in the futur-" The Earl tried to bite back his words.

_Wait... sister? There's another Noah?_

* * *

**And the plot thickens! Sorry if I made Kanda seem like a dick, but that will make more sense later! Please leave a review! I won't take offense, as long as you don't cuss me out.  
**


	7. Into the Gates of Hell

_**...Chapter Six: Into the Gates of Hell...**_

Rhiannon followed Lvellie down endless hallways and staircases, until they were in what looked like an old dungeon. The walls leaked water, the space was lit by torches, and smelled strongly of mold. When Rhiannon had walked through the door, it slammed shut and locked behind her. She immediately started to panic.

"What is going on!? You said you would only interview me-" she was cut off when many spell strips surrounded her. She could no longer speak or move, and fell to the floor, her knees giving out. Another man, this one blonde, walked around a corner she hadn't noticed.

"And so I shall. But first, a little experiment. I overheard Yuu Kanda tell Komui about you, and became very interested. I want to know if you would be an asset in this holy war." He saw the confusion in her eyes, "That is to say, I want to know if you are compatible with Innocence, and if we can use you as a weapon."

* * *

_A weapon? What are they going to do to me? Where are Allen and the others? Someone, please help me! _I mentally screamed. I couldn't move my arms or legs, and it hurt to breathe. These strange men intended to turn me into a weapon for personal gain, and I was powerless against them. _Out of the pot, into the fire. At least with the Dark Fae, I wouldn't feel any pain..._

Tears started to make their way down my cheeks, and an almost silent sob escaped my lips. My torturer didn't even hear me.

"I realize you don't know my name yet. I am Malcolm C. Lvellie, and this is my assistant, Howard Link. We are from Central, the commanders of the Black Order. I have a feeling you will be of great assistance to us in ending this seven thousand year-long war." At this point, I couldn't see them clearly, I was crying so hard. I could barely feel the wall behind me, which I leaned against, offering me the only support I had while kneeling, my legs completely numb. _Someone, anyone, help me, please! Allen, help me! _Howard Link opened the previously locked door he was standing in front of, letting two guards into the room, who then picked me up off the floor, one holding my legs, the other holding me under my arms. They then carried me down the hall, and another flight of steps. And another. And another. We were now at least eight stories below the ground floor. The guards set me down on what looked like an old operating table, and strapped my wrists and ankles to it. _Like that will do anything, I am still immobile. _Lvellie entered the room with three scientists I hadn't seen outside. They pushed my sleeves and pant legs up, exposing my pale, bruised skin, then inserted long needles attached to tubes into the crook of my elbows, ankles, and knees, as well as several, smaller ones at odd intervals. When the needles entered my skin, my entire body felt chilled to the bone, and the needles themselves burned my skin. I started to cry again, this time in pain.

"Well, girl, we will now try to force a synchronization with Innocence. This may hurt a bit." Lvellie said, then turned on a large machine behind him. When a fluid started to flow into my veins from the larger needles, and electricity from the smaller ones, my only thought before going unconscious was, _You damned, bloody liar. Allen, please help me! _

* * *

Allen, Lavi, Lenalee, Kanda, and Bookman walked through the halls of the castle that was the new Black Order HQ, silently seething. All for slightly different reasons. Kanda for the lies Lvellie told, and the others for thinking Kanda had handed Rhiannon to Lvellie on a silver platter. They made their way to the cafeteria, not saying a word to each other. When they reached the main door, Allen turned to Kanda and said, "Why did you do that, Kanda... just, just why?"

"I didn't." Kanda said simply.

"Like hell, you didn't! Lvellie said you were the one who told him about Rhiannon, so who else could it have been?!"

"If you would just listen-"

"No, I don't want to hear any excuses from you!" They now had the attention of everyone in the cafeteria; Krory, Miranda, four Finders, and half the Science Division. Krory and Reever got up and walked over to them, already prepared to break up a fight. The two Exorcists were getting closer and closer to each other as they fought, Allen accusing Kanda of telling Lvellie about Rhiannon, Kanda trying to explain what really happened, and Allen cutting him off before he could finish. Then Allen lunged at Kanda, and Krory and Reever ran to pull them apart.

"How could you, you bastard?!" Allen shouted as Reever restrained him.

Kanda was in a similar situation with Krory. "I didn't! If you had shut up for two seconds, I could have told you! I told Komui, not Lvellie! He must have been in the room while Komui was on the phone!"

Allen immediately calmed down, losing his fighting stance. "So... you didn't tell Lvellie?"

"No!" Kanda said, exasperated. "I would never do something like that, knowing what he did to Lenale-" he cut himself off, and he and Allen stared at each other for the briefest moment, before turning around and sprinting back the way they had come.

When they could no longer be seen, everyone turned to Lavi, Lenalee, and Bookman, silently asking for information.

"Well... it kinda goes like this..." Lavi said, then told the bizarre story of the past three and a half days.

* * *

"We're sorry, but the Inspector cannot be seen at this moment." Allen and Kanda tried to press the imposing guards for more information, but they were not forthcoming, and gave the same answer. Five times. They walked off, feeling defeated.

"Well... what do we do now?" Allen said.

"I guess we ask again tomorrow..." Kanda trailed off, then exclaimed, "God, I'm such an idiot! Why didn't I ask if anyone else was with him?!"

Allen had never seen the swordsman like this, and quite frankly, it scared him.

"Hey, just calm down. I'm sure she'll be fine. I mean, you saw her fight the other day! If she can go through that so easily, than I'm sure anything Lvellie can throw at her can't be too bad."

"Maybe you're right. We'll check again tomorrow." Kanda then turned down a hallway, leading towards the new training grounds. _Huh. What's gotten into him? _As Allen was thinking this, a sharp pain went through his head, and he fell to his knees. Then he heard, or felt a flicker of something else. What sounded like a familiar voice crying out in pain.

* * *

"Hah, finally!" Tyki exhaled. He had just finished the last page in the book he had been reading before the failed mission. The mission where he had met Rhiannon...

"Is lover-boy day-dreaming? About a certain ravenette?"

"What do you want, twins?" He really didn't want to deal with these idiots right now.

"That's not our name, hee! I'm Jasdero, and he's Devit, and together, we're Jasdev-"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, shut up, and leave me alone!" The twins were shocked, they hadn't seen Tyki snap like this before. They backed out of the room, and shut the door of the library behind them.

* * *

For the next five days, Allen and Kanda went to speak with Lvellie, and each day got the same result. And each night, around the same time, Allen got a debilitating headache, and woke in a cold sweat from nightmares. Each night it was the same; a bloody battlefield, the only warrior standing holding a sword over a body. When Allen walks closer, he sees a flash of a woman's face, the warrior plunges the sword down, Allen feels a stab of pain in his abdomen, then wakes up in his own room. When he does, he could swear he hears a scream, somewhere off in the distance.

He knew something wasn't right, and wanted to know what was going on with Rhiannon and Lvellie, and wanted the answer _right now._ He knew of only one group of people who could help. He started to think up a complex plan, but knew he would need help. He told his plan to Kanda, Lavi , Lenalee, and Bookman. When he finished, they all looked at him like he was insane.

"You've completely lost it, man. But, you're right. None of this feels normal, and those people are probably the only ones as crazy as you, to think this will work." Lavi said. Allen was beyond shocked that the others also agreed.

"Alright then, here's what we need to do..."

* * *

Devit stuck his head into the library, "Tyki, the Earl wants to talk to you and Road right now, said it was important." he said, then darted out. He didn't want a repeat of last week. Tyki sighed, put his book on a side table, and stood up.

_What could it possibly be this time, _he thought as he walked to Sheril's study, where the Earl normally was when he had a mission for any of them. Upon reaching said room, he knocked twice, waited three seconds, then let himself in. His brother was seated behind his desk, the Earl in front of it, and Road in the Earl's lap.

"Ah, Tyki-pet~. I have a very important mission for you and Road. Several reports have come in of a very powerful piece of Innocence in a German village. There is a very high probability that this Innocence is the Heart, and you need to get there quickly, before those hateful Exorcists do~"

Tyki faltered for a moment, then said, "Alright. Road, how soon can you have a door ready?"

* * *

Tyki and Road walked through the seemingly abandoned town, very quickly becoming suspicious.

"If this is a town with Innocence, then why did everyone leave? Normally, a town like this would be really prosperous, but all the buildings look like they haven't been used in years..." Road mused aloud. Tyki shrugged, just as mystified.

"That's because they haven't." said a voice behind them. Both Noah whipped around, now facing an unassuming Allen. He held up his hands in surrender. "I'm not here to fight."

"Neither are we," Tyki said. "We're here to find the Innocence hidden in the town, and bring it back to the Earl."

"Yeah, about that..." Allen said.

"There isn't any." said Kanda, who jumped down from a building next to Allen. The other Exorcists from General Cross's team did the same.

"What do you mean, there isn't any?! We got several reports of Innocence in this town, all of them saying it was her-"

"We made those up." Allen said.

"Wait... what? You made them up?" Tyki asked.

"Why would you do that?" asked Road.

Allen paused, deep in thought, then burst out, "Because we needed to talk to you. It's important."

"What could an Exorcist possibly want to talk to a Noah abou-"

"It's Rhiannon." Tyki froze at Allen's words. "She was taken into the custody of an officer from Central, who is known for cruel experiments on living people. We tried to contact him, but he refuses to talk to any of us. Every night I hear screams coming from one of the labs in the dungeons, and... It's my fault for bringing her there. So, though it pains us to admit, we need your help. Please."

Tyki and Road exchanged a shocked glance, then turned back to Allen and the other Exorcists. Tyki asked, "What do you have in mind?"

* * *

**Yay, I'm finally to the really confusing part! Allen, Lavi, Kanda, Lenalee, and Bookman teaming up with the Noah... What could possibly go wrong, right? Also, thank you to my followers and favoriters, and a big, heartfelt THANK YOU! to author12306 for her continued support and constructive criticisms, please stick by me and this story in the near future! Also, this is the longest chapter so far. They keep getting longer...  
**


	8. Down the Rabbit Hole

_**...Chapter Seven: Down the Rabbit Hole...**_

For the past week, I have been in the custody of the Inspector from Central, and every day, he and his scientist friends preformed several experiments, each more painful than the last. One of the most frequent was the Synchronization test, where they tried to force me to become an Accommodator by injecting liquified Innocence into my body. They failed every time, and the injection sites were turning black, like a burn. My entire body ached, and, even though the spell strips had been removed, I was in too much pain to move. _Where's Allen when you need him? I should have just let the Dark Fae kill me, instead of coming here. If I had, then this stupid war the Fae are in would be over, and no more innocent lives would be lost... _

Absorbed in my thoughts, I didn't notice Lvellie and the guards had entered the room until Lvellie was leaning over me. I painfully shifted my neck to look him in the face from where I was sitting on the floor. I could tell my eyes were glazed over.

"It's time for your tests again, girl." he said, then nodded to the guards, who picked me up the same way they had on the first day, and every day after. I barely registered the halls and stairways they walked down, since where their hands touched my sensitive skin felt like a flame going to my very soul. I didn't even have the strength to cry out, and only allowed a single tear to roll down my cheek. The guards again set me on the medical table in the lab, and as the scientists inserted the needles, I let my mind drift away from my body. It was the only way to escape the pain...

* * *

"So, you want us, your enemies, to team up with you to break into Black Order HQ, and bust Rhiannon out of captivity, which you led her to?" Tyki asked Allen, incredulous.

"Well, if you put it like that, it seems impossible..."

"And you're saying it isn't!?"

"Didn't Lulu Bell already break in once? Why can't you do it again? Besides, this time we're leading the way." Lavi said. Tyki and Road looked taken aback.

"He does have a point..." mumbled Road.

"I can't believe you're actually agreeing to this! Besides, if the Earl or Sheril find out, they'll be_ furious_!"

"Will you two stop arguing! Are you going to help us, or not?!" Kanda exclaimed.

Road glared at Tyki, who then grumbled his assent. "We'll help. But this is a one time thing." Road said.

"Alright, then, here's the plan..."

* * *

The Exorcists and Noah walked through the Order's Ark, while Allen explained.

"I can't make a door directly to the room Rhia is in, because I don't know exactly which room it is, but we do know which floor and section she's in. There's only eight holding cells in that section, so it won't be too hard to find her and get out, as long as we time this correctly." Allen said as he led the way through the Ark.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Tyki.

"Every night, around the same time, they take Rhiannon to one of the labs to run tests. I memorized the schedule, and we'll have fifteen minutes to get her out." The others, Noah and Exorcist alike, looked shocked.

"How did you memorize the schedule?" Tyki said, doubtful.

"Because for the past week, every night at the same time, I can hear her screaming from the tests. My room is close to the labs."

_Are they running tests, or torturing her? If they are, I swear I'll kill them all myself. _Tyki silently seethed. Just thinking about that infuriated him. He knew they had to rescue her, and fast.

* * *

The experiment was finally over, this time more disastrous than before. While the test was running, one of the electrical tubes burst, which caused the others to short out. My muscles seized up, and I screamed more than ever before. The scientists immediately shut the machine off, the electricity stopped flowing, and the Innocence left my body, leaving behind a chill so cold it burned. I saw the black marks move another half-inch up my arms and legs. Now my hands, arms, legs, and feet were blackened almost six inches, and the injection sites were turning bright red.

"Fix it, as soon as possible! We can't go forward with the tests without that machine!" Lvellie snapped at the scientists. He then ordered the guards to carry me back to my cell. They practically threw me back in, and I crawled to the wall I had used as support previously. I let my eyes drift closed, hoping to finally get some uninterrupted sleep. They flew open a moment later when I heard shouted voices and the faint sound of several pairs of feet running towards the door of my cell. The voices stopped right outside my door. _No... They can't have fixed the machine so quickly! Am I really going to die in this hell-hole? _

* * *

Getting into the Black Order HQ wasn't a problem at all. Getting in undetected was. After walking out of the Ark door and rounding a corner, they almost instantly ran face-first into a member of the Science Division. Tyki grabbed Allen's and Road's arms and pulled them back just before they could be seen, and the other Exorcists bumped into their backs. Allen shushed them as they tried to complain. When the scientist disappeared down a staircase, the Exorcists and Noah sprinted as quietly as they could to the hallway they needed. The torches hung on the walls offered little light, but it was enough. Allen pointed to the hall they needed, which was the darkest and dankest of them all. Kanda and Allen grabbed torches off the wall behind them. They split into two teams, Kanda, Lavi, and Bookman in one, and Allen, Tyki, Road, and Lenalee in the other, and searched the cells one by one. The doors didn't have windows in them, so they had to open the heavy doors to see inside. Kanda's team took the cells on the left, and Allen's team searched the doors on the right. After searching one room, someone from each team would say, "Empty!" or "She's not in this one!".

They almost gave up hope, until Tyki opened the final cell in the hall. He couldn't see well in the dark, and motioned to Allen to bring the torch. He thought the cell was empty, then heard a faint groan of pain; his eyes flicked to a figure in all black curled into a ball in the farthest corner from the door, obviously trying to become as small as possible. It seemed impossible, but, "Rhia?"

The figure uncurled, and lifted its head. Black and silver hair floated around a face, and dull purple and blue eyes struggled to focus on anything. Rhiannon said, in a very weak voice, "Well, look who finally showed up."

Allen turned to the others, who were standing in the hall, looking stumped. "Everyone, she's in here! Get ready to leave as quickly as possible, we don't have much time left." He and Tyki walked to where Rhiannon leaned against the cold, moist wall. As they got closer, they noticed her eyes and cheeks were sunken in, and her shoes were gone. Her hands and feet were blackened, like they had been burned, and the sleeves of her now torn sweater were pushed up, revealing several red welts. Both of them became furious at the sight, for different reasons, but both feeling like it was their fault.

Tyki knelt to Rhiannon's level, and asked in a soft voice, "Can you stand or walk on your own?" She shook her head, but stopped quickly, obviously in pain.

"I can barely move at all." Her voice was rough.

"Don't strain yourself, and don't speak if it will hurt you more." Tyki then picked her up bridal style, and stood to walk out of the room. Where her skin touched his, he could feel how feverish she was, and she shivered, her breath ragged and forced. When he saw the look on Allen's face he paused. "You can't blame yourself for this. You couldn't have possibly known they would do this to her."

Allen sighed, looking defeated, and said, "You're right. Let's just get out of here." He turned and walked out the door, Tyki right behind him. When the others saw the state Rhia was in, they all had similar reactions of shock, slight panic, and anger.

"We need to get out of here, now. The guards will be here shortly to bring her to the labs." Allen said while walking, and he passed the others. They followed silently, not wanting to upset him more. When they reached the end of the hall, they broke into a jog, Tyki careful not to jostle Rhia too much. When they were almost to where the Ark door was hidden, they heard a loud voice behind them yell, "All of you, freeze!" Without turning around, they knew it was the guards. Then another voice said, "Exorcists, if you do not return that girl, I will assume you are committing treason!" This time, it was Lvellie.

"Run! Don't let them cast any spell strips!" Allen shouted. The group broke into a sprint, and came to the Ark door in under thirty seconds. They could hear several guards running behind them, and they got to the door with just enough time to close it, and for Allen to deactivate it before the guards could reach it. The team stood panting just on the other side of the door, and Tyki noticed Rhia's breathing was slowing and becoming more forced, and she was having trouble keeping her eyes open. The black was slowly creeping it's way up her arms, and the puncture marks started to look infected.

"Bookman! What's happening to her?" His voice was panicked, and he didn't care.

The Bookman gave her a quick examination, then said, "It appears she has Innocence poisoning, which means Lvellie tried to force a synchronization. We need to get her to a better shelter immediately so I can cure her."

"But you can cure her?"

"Yes, but I need a more sterile environment to prevent another, different infection."

Tyki and Road exchanged a look. "The only place we can think of is my father's estate." said Road.

The Exorcists looked uneasy, but agreed with trepidation. Road connected a door to Sheril's estate, and they all walked through, Road first, followed in order by Allen, Bookman, Tyki with Rhiannon, Lavi, Lenalee, and lastly Kanda. The Exorcists stared when they walked out, surprised by the surrounding foyer. Marble floors, high, arched ceilings, large chandelier, and a sweeping staircase with filigree-like metal railings. They then spun on their heels when they heard two approaching voices, which turned out to be the twins. Before Tyki or Road could explain the situation, they sprinted back in the direction they had come.

Tyki sighed, and said, "Follow me.", then walked calmly but swiftly up the stairs and down the hall to the right. They walked past at least twelve doors, until Tyki stopped at one, which Road opened without question. Tyki walked through the doorway, and the others followed him in. The room turned out to be a spacious guest bedroom. Tyki turned to the Bookman and asked, "Will this do?"

"Yes, please place her on the bed." Tyki complied, just as he heard several, angry sounding voices coming nearer. One was his older brother. _Damn, I thought he would still be out. _Another was the Earl. Tyki set Rhia down gently, and her eyes slowly fluttered open. Her entire body was trembling with fever, and the black was almost to her elbows. She leaned heavily on his shoulder, and he wrapped an arm around her thin shoulders.

The door slammed open, and Sheril, the twins, and the Earl, who was in his human form, entered. "Just what in the hell is going on here?!" Sheril exclaimed, clearly enraged. His eyes landed first on the Exorcists, who were standing awkwardly, then lingered on Road, and finally rested on Tyki and Rhiannon. "What is that girl doing here? And why are these Exorcists with you?"

"It's alright, father. The girl, Rhiannon, was captured by the Order, and they tried to force her to synchronize with Innocence, which then poisoned her. The Exorcists helped us in rescuing her. They aren't a threat to us." said Road, who was being uncharacteristically serious. Sheril looked dubious, then the Earl walked around him to get a clearer look at the visitor. He instantly recognized her. "Oh, no. My dear, sweet Seraphiel, what have they done to you?" His voice was soft and caring. Tyki had only heard him talk this way to Road.

Rhiannon's eyes shifted to where the Earl was standing, then struggled to focus. When they did, she said, her voice disbelieving, "_Adam?_"

_How does she know the Earl's Noah name? She can't be..._

"It has been too long, my dear. Seven thousand years..." Rhiannon's eyes than slowly drifted closed, and her breath became more labored and ragged than before, nearly stopping. She didn't respond in any way to Tyki calling her name.

"Bookman!" His voice was even more panicked.

"All of you except Lavi, out! I need to treat her now, or she could die soon!" All of them left the room, leaving the Bookman and his apprentice to work.

"Earl, can you please now explain just what that girl is, why she recognized you, and vise-versa?"

* * *

The Noah and Exorcists were now seated in the library, all looking expectantly at the Earl.

"Seven thousand years ago, before the beginning of the war between the Noah and the Exorcists, there were fifteen Noah." The occupants of the room looked dumbfounded.

"I thought there were only fourteen!" exclaimed Devit.

"Let me finish. The war began when the first users of Innocence attacked the Noah, and killed the fifteenth. You now know her as Rhiannon."

"Why didn't you tell us this before today?" asked Tyki, mentally and physically exhausted.

"Because after this occurrence, Seraphiel never reincarnated. Until now."

"How is that possible, when all the other thirteen have?"

"She was killed by the holder of the Heart, who committed the ultimate act of betrayal. Seraphiel wasn't like the other Noah. She interacted with humans, and taught them how to create a peaceful society. And she taught them how to wield the Innocence to protect themselves. The Accommodators deemed the Noah a threat to their society, and attacked, killing Seraphiel first. We fought until most of the Accommodators were killed, and the holder of the Heart had fled, but it was too late for her. We had lost her, and she never returned to us."

"So, that was the cause of the Holy War? Why wasn't it written in the history of the Order?" asked Allen.

"The Order didn't exist at that time, but the Bookman clan did." said Bookman, who had just walked through the door. "The battle is recorded in the true history."

Tyki and Allen jumped up, but before they could say a word, Bookman said, "She is completely fine, and is now sleeping. She will be fully healed in a few days. You can go see her now, but she needs her rest." The Exorcists, Road, and Tyki left the room, followed closely by Sheril, the twins, and the Earl. When they reached the room Rhiannon was in, they saw the door had been left open, and Lavi was sitting in a corner opposite the bed, watching Rhiannon. She was now sleeping peacefully, like Bookman had said, and her hair had been brushed and braided. The black burns had disappeared, and her skin was now its original alabaster. Lavi stood when he saw the others. Tyki and Allen both walked to the bed, and pulled chairs close to it. They obviously meant to stay a while.

Bookman turned to Sheril and the Earl, "We must take our leave now. The Order knows we aided in rescuing Rhiannon, and will now be hunting us. We don't want to be a burden."

Sheril and the Earl exchanged a look, then Sheril said, "As long as you're here, and the Order is hunting you, you all might as well stay. We're in this mess together now."

The Exorcists all looked at each other, then grudgingly nodded.

"Where will we be staying?" asked Lenalee.

"Please follow me, I'll show you to your rooms, and give you a quick tour of the house." said Road. The Exorcists followed down the hall, and up another staircase. The Earl, twins, and Sheril left for Sheril's study. Allen and Tyki hadn't moved from their seats next to Rhiannon, content to stay there until she awoke.

* * *

**And now the Noah and our favorite Exorcists are teamed up! And Rhiannon is a Noah! But, this isn't even the really interesting part. That comes later. Please don't hate me... Oh, and by the way, I won't be updating for about a week, I'm going to church camp, and there's a strict, no electronics policy, so, in other words, no internet. But, don't worry, I love you all, and will update as soon as I can. And this is my longest chapter so far. By a lot... Over three thousand words...I'm worried about where this is going... Anyway, please stick by me in the future, and help me to improve this story! Which Noah do you want to reawaken next? Have I made any really obvious mistakes? Are the characters to OOC? And, I own nothing except the plot and Rhiannon!  
**


	9. The Awakening

_**...Chapter Eight: The Awakening...**_

For the next three days, Tyki and Allen took shifts to watch Rhiannon. Every now and again, Bookman or Lavi would come to check on her, but she hadn't woken up once. It was Allen's turn to watch Rhiannon, so Tyki was finding food that wasn't going to be used in the upcoming Christmas party his brother was hosting. He knew the cook would go off on rampage, hunt him down, and hit him over the head with a broom if he took something he wasn't supposed to. So he settled for the last of the brined and dried ham. After he had eaten, he walked back to the room Allen and Rhiannon were in.

* * *

"Still hasn't woken up yet?" Tyki, who was now in his human form, asked when he had walked through the doorway.

"Not yet, and she barely moves in her sleep, but she's still breathing. She'll no doubt wake up soon, she just needed her rest so she could heal." Allen replied. Tyki nodded in response, and sat back in the chair he had previously occupied.

"Isn't it odd that we aren't trying to kill each other right now?" asked Tyki, breaking the silence.

"Huh. I guess it is. It might just be Rhiannon's influence." They had both been feeling a sense of calm when they sat next to the bed, and had had relaxed conversations when they were in the same room. Neither of them quite knew why.

"You could be right. Or we simply feel a sense of responsibility for what happened." Allen glanced at the man on his left, and hummed his consent. They both lapsed back into silence, and Allen began to nod off. When he was almost completely asleep, Rhiannon's eyes twitched slightly, and she moved to rest on her back, as she had been laying on her side facing them. She breathed in deeply and her eyes fluttered open. She pushed herself up, and turned her head to look at the occupants of the room.

"How long was I asleep?" She still had a look of disorientation, and was obviously trying to get her bearings.

"A little over three days." Tyki replied. She looked slightly shocked at this information. When Allen saw this, he said, "You had many severe injuries, and Innocence poisoning from what Lvellie tried to do. What all do you remember?"

She shifted so her body was facing them, and looked more than a little uncomfortable. "Almost everything. Lvellie told me he wanted to use me as a weapon, to end the Holy War. I still have no idea what he meant by this." She obviously wanted to avoid this topic. She lapsed back into deep thought, then said, "So... I'm a Noah?"

"Apparently. Do you remember anything from your first incarnation, anything at all?" Tyki asked, just as mystified.

"Only bits and pieces. The names of the other Noah, snippets of conversations, pictures of what they looked like. Mostly you, Tyki, the Earl, and someone named Abbadon." Tyki couldn't remember a Noah with that name, so it must have been the Fourteenth's Noah name.

Allen reached out, patted Rhiannon's hand, and said, "I'll go tell the others she's awake." Tyki nodded at his words. Allen stood, walked around the chairs, and left the other two to their conversation, the door slightly open. Tyki and Rhiannon just looked at each other for a few minutes, both absorbed in their thoughts, and trying to remember a life from seven thousand years ago. Both failed. Tyki moved to sit on the bed next to her.

"So, out of all the Noah, you remember me, the Fourteenth, and the Earl. Maybe you were closest to us three."

"It's a possibility. I do remember eleven others, but only by name. I'll most likely know them when I see them, like you, the Earl, Road, and your brother. I still don't know his human name, though."

"His human name is Sheril. How did you know he is my brother?" Tyki asked, wondering if they had always been brothers, then remembering the Noah had always been a family.

"You look almost exactly alike. There's only a few differences, so it was a lucky guess." Tyki hummed in response, lost in thought. He had been having strange dreams for the past three days, flashes of memories long past. It was the same every night.

_Tyki walked through a vast garden, filled with plants and flowers he had never seen before, some with petals th_e _size of serving platters. The trees seemed to grow to the sky, and Tyki had to look almost straight up to see the tops. He heard footsteps next to him, and turned his head to see a man with blue-black hair walking beside him. He looked almost exactly like Allen, but was about two inches taller, and was still several inches shorter than Tyki._

_"Do you have any idea why she's been spending so much time in the gardens this past week?" the other said._

_"No clue. She's always had a green thumb." Tyki replied, though he couldn't feel his lips move. _I must be dreaming, _he thought. _Maybe I can control the dream. _But he was simply an observer, watching through the eyes of his past life, feeling detached. The men walked in silence for ten minutes, until they saw the figure of a woman through an opening in the tree line. She was wearing a white, old-fashioned Greek-style dress that draped over her slim body, and was belted at the waist with a silver cord. Her back was facing them, so all they could see was a tumble of blue-black hair tied with a red ribbon, reaching almost to her ankles. She was standing in front of a clear pond, watching the lilies float on the surface._

_"There she is." said the man next to Tyki. "Seraphiel!" The woman turn her head to see them. Tyki was shocked to see Rhiannon's face looking back at him._

_"What are you two doing here? Normally you avoid the gardens at all cost." she replied._

_"We've been searching the gardens for you for about an hour. Adam was starting to get worried." said the other man, whom Tyki assumed was the Fourteenth._

_"Adam is always worried about me, never wanting me out of his sight for longer than five minutes." she replied sarcastically._

_"I was starting to get worried as well. You didn't tell any of the others where you were going, and we thought you had gone to the human village again. You know how they have acted when we are around for the past three weeks." Tyki's past self said._

_Seraphiel's expression softened. "I do know. I'll tell someone next time, or bring one of the family with me. I never meant to worry you, I'm sorry." She looked truly apologetic._

_Tyki's past self walked to where she was standing at the edge of the pond, and he saw she was holding a large pink lily in her hand. He then wrapped her in his arms, and she leaned her head on his chest. "You have no need to apologize to us. We just never want to see you hurt, and we would die inside if the humans took you away from us." Tyki's past self, Joido, said._

_"He's right, little sister. I'll always want to protect you." the Fourteenth said. Joido released her, and she turned to hug the Fourteenth._

_"I know, brother. I love you both so much."_

At this point, he would wake up, confusion running through his mind. He was broken out of his thoughts when the door swung completely open, and in walked his brother, Road, the twins, the Earl, who was still in his human form, and the Exorcists, who trailed behind Allen, looking uneasy about being surrounded by Noah. Road was hanging onto the Earl.

"Rhiannon, you look like you slept well, and are almost fully healed. How are you feeling?" Bookman asked.

"My arms and legs still hurt a bit, but it's nothing I can't handle." They all noticed her accent sounded stronger, but leaned more towards Romanian then Irish.

"Well, that's good. I'll see to finding you some clean clothes. Perhaps Lulu Bell has something that will fit, but you're several inches taller than her." Sheril said, then turned around and walked back down the hall.

"Well, have you remembered anything~?" asked the Earl, sounding ridiculously happy, as per usual.

"Only small pieces. I mostly remember Joido, Abbadon, and you. But I also remember the names of the other eleven Noah."

The Earl looked slightly shocked at those names, then said "You were always closest to the three of us, so that isn't all that unusual that you remember us the most. Is there anything else~?"

"A large house on a hill, overlooking a village and a large garden surrounding it on all sides. Strange plants and flowers, and a clear pond with pink water lilies. And... Abbadon calling me sister." Tyki glanced her way, surprised that she remembered the same moment in the gardens as him. _I wonder just how much she remembers, and if she remembers what she said._

"You had loved those gardens, and that pond. You could spend hours simply watching the ripples on the surface, and the fish that swam around it. You and Abbadon were really siblings, and you spent every waking moment with him and Joido." Rhiannon had a look of deep thought, and met Tyki's eyes, then made eye contact with Allen, who had sat back down in his armchair. Her eyes then rested on the twins, who were leaning against the far wall.

"You two are Bondomu, correct?" she asked. After everything they had seen and heard the past few days, this didn't even surprise them.

"Right you are!" said Devit.

"But that's not our name in this form! I'm Jasdevi, and he's Devit, and together we're Jasdevi!"

"Uh, okay then." Rhiannon looked slightly weirded out by their hyper attitudes. She turned to Tyki, and whispered "Are they always like this?"

"Sometimes worse." he whispered back. She gave him a wry glance, then turned back to the door as Sheril re-entered the room, holding a long white dress, with silver embroidery, thin straps, silver cinches just below where it would sit on her collar-bones, and a slight corset bodice, and black flats.

"This might fit, Lulu Bell said she's never worn it because it's to long and drags where ever she goes. The shoes are also hers, but she said you could keep them. She wants to meet you as soon as possible, by the way."

"Thank you." She took the dress, and all but Road and Lenalee left the room.

"Do you want any help with the dress?" Lenalee asked politely.

"Yes, please." Rhiannon replied.

"Oh, can I do your hair, please~? It's just so long and pretty!" Road asked, bouncing on her heels like a young child.

"I suppose. Just nothing crazy, okay?" Road nodded, looking disappointed.

* * *

The men had gone down the stairs to the foyer, waiting for the girls to finish. About fifteen minutes later, Road and Lenalee came around the corner of the hallway, and Road slid down the banister. Lenalee followed, but walked down the step calmly. When they were both back on the ground floor, Rhiannon turned around the same corner. Allen and Tyki stared in shock. Where they thought she was too thin, they now saw that she was lean and had some muscle tone. Her hair floated in loose black and silver curls down to her shins, the silver streaks twisted and tied at the back, keeping the rest out of her face, and she was surprisingly curvy. She walked down the stairs slowly, her steps still slightly painful. The dress and shoes fit like they were made for her, and her alone. When she was in the foyer, she stopped next to the Earl, Tyki, and Sheril. Tyki noticed for the first time that she wore two bracelets, a thin silver bangle with tiny Celtic knots carved into the metal on her left wrist, and a thicker, black bangle that looked as if it had been made of tiny, interwoven vines and leaves on her right.

"Shall we take a walk in the gardens, and talk more privately?" the Earl asked.

"I have no objections." said Rhiannon. Sheril nodded and Tyki shrugged. They all grabbed a warm jacket, and the four of them then walked out the main entrance to the manor house, and turned to follow one of the many paths around it, this one to the rose gardens, which had long since died. Rhiannon had the Earl on her left and Tyki on her right, and Sheril was on the Earl's left. They walked in silence for five minutes, the wind ruffling their hair lightly, and the hem of Rhiannon's dress swirled around her ankles. They walked slow, so as to not strain Rhiannon.

Sheril was the first to break the silence. "How did you end up in Romania, running on the edge of a cliff?"

"I've wondered the same thing, and how did you still have a perfect manicure while running through the woods?" Tyki asked.

"Ten days before I was in Romania, which happens to be where I was born, I was in Mongolia, at the royal court there. When the guards got word of a group of strange men with large wolves with them, I immediately left, and walked to the boarder between Mongolia and Russia, found a farmer who was on his way to Kyzyl, and boarded a train to Omsk there, and then from Omsk to the Ukraine. I stayed there for a day to collect my strength, and get new clothes, the ones Tyki and the others found me in. I then boarded another train to Cluj-Napoca, which is close to Bistrita, the town that you were sent to, to find the Innocence. The Dark Fae that I was running from almost caught me at each stop, but I got on the train just in time. They didn't catch up until I literally ran into Tyki, Road, and the Exorcists. The manicure was because I was posing as a visiting court lady, and had to act the part." Rhiannon explained.

"And you are the daughter of Gregorio Dragomir, correct?" asked Sheril.

Rhiannon looked shocked, then an expression of overwhelming sadness filled her mystifying eyes. She looked down at her feet as she walked, then lifted her eyes when she heard the large fountain that lay on the path they were walking on. When they had reached it, the Earl sat on the wide rim, and motioned for the others to do the same. Rhiannon pulled her hair over her right shoulder. They sat in the same order they had been in while they walked. There was a large gap between the Earl and Rhiannon, but almost no space between her and Tyki.

"How did you know my father's name?" she asked.

"I met him a few times at conferences and such, but only spoke to him briefly. You have the same accent as him, and the blue color in your eyes is very similar to his." Sheril explained. "He was a good man, and I regret not getting to know him better. Could you perhaps, if it wouldn't cause too much distress, explain what happened to your parents? I know it's a painful topic."

She looked as if she wasn't going to answer, then said "When I turned sixteen, my father was going to name me the successor to the Dragomir clan, the Fae side of my family. As well as being nobility in the human world, we are also nobility in the Fae circles. Many of the customs are different, though, and the custom of succession is one. For a new leader of a clan to be accepted, the current leader must make a formal announcement. My twin brother, Alexander, learned of this, and became exceedingly angry. He believed he would be the one named by our father. Before our father could make the announcement, Alexander killed my parents, with my father's own swords, and hid their bodies in the forest close to our manor in Scotland. They were discovered four days later by a group of villagers who were looking for rare medicinal herbs. They immediately reported it to police in the area. By that time, Alexander disappeared, and joined the Dark Fae, and is now their leader. They have made it their life's goal to hunt and kill me, so he can become the next Lord Dragomir. Those swords are now in my possession, and are the same swords that I used the other day."

When she had finished, she cast her eyes down again, this time at her knees. She had tears building at the corners of her eyes, and when Tyki saw this, he reached over and laid a comforting hand on the middle of her back. She sniffled lightly and wiped the tears away, then looked directly into Tyki's eyes, and it seemed that, at that moment, he could read her mind and knew exactly what she was feeling.

* * *

I held eye contact with Tyki, and it seemed to me that his warm, brown eyes were drawing me in, and would never let me go. I remembered the dream I had the night before, and shifted my eyes away quickly, before he could read my expression. _Just what was Joido to me in our past? _I thought. I asked the Earl "What did you mean, when you said that I spent every moment with Joido and Abbadon?"

"Exactly that. You, Seraphiel, were always closest to Joido and Abbadon, and I was something of a father figure to you. We were constantly worried about you, as you liked to disappear for hours on end, and walk down to the human village that was two miles down the hill our house was built on. You were friends with many of the teenagers in the village, and taught them what they needed to know for a peaceful society. You were the one who taught them how to grow crops to last a whole year, build shelters that could withstand the worst storms, and how to use the Innocence to protect themselves. After this, they started to view us Noah as a threat, and attacked our house, finding you in the gardens first. The man who controlled the Heart of the Innocence recognized you, and took you as a captive, to force us out of the house. When we refused to surrender, he cut your throat before any of us could do anything. Joido and Abbadon became enraged, and charged the users of Innocence. It was a long and bloody battle, and most of them were killed, and the holder of the Heart had disappeared. We went to where you were, but it was already too late. I have fought the Innocence users ever since that day, wishing that some day, you would come back to us, and seven thousand years later, you finally have. The other Noah never remember this until, thirty-five years ago, the Fourteenth, Abbadon, remembered, and accused me of using your death as an excuse to destroy everything you had cared about. He attacked and killed most of us, except Road and myself."

As he spoke, the memories all came back to me at once. The pain of a man pulling me by my hair through the gardens I had seen in my dream, the Noah rushing out of the house, the knife on my throat, Joido and Abbadon's faces hovering over me, tears streaming from their eyes, the last thing I ever saw in that life. I couldn't hold back my tears anymore, and they flowed freely down my cheeks. Tyki saw this, and pulled me into his chest with his left hand, and smoothed down my hair with his right. I vaguely noticed the Earl and Sheril stand and walk back the way we had come. Tyki stayed silent, just allowing me to cry. When my tears had run out, he asked me "Do you want to walk for a bit more, so the others don't see that you've been crying?" I simply nodded.

He stood, and held my right hand in his left, and led me down the path to our left, one of the four that met at the fountain. The tree canopy had grown over the path, and the sunlight filtered through the branches, casting shadows. I shivered as the sun began to set, and Tyki let go of my hand to wrap his arm around me again. We walked for another twenty minutes, until the sun had completely set, and ended up back at the house from the way we had gone before. As we walked through the main door, I yawned. Tyki smiled slightly, and said "I'll let you get your sleep. See you in the morning," he winked, "Seraphiel." He led me up the stairs, then turned down the opposite hallway. When he was no longer in sight, I turned and walked to the room that was, apparently, mine. I closed the door all the way behind me, and sat on the bed. _Just what is happening with my life now?_

* * *

**I'm BAACCCKKK! I had to come home from camp early after a near suicide attempt, and one of my relaxers is writing, so here it is! Just what were Tyki and Rhiannon in the past? Wouldn't you all like to know? But, I'm not telling you yet! Please read and review, I want to know how to make my story better! And, this chapter is almost four thousand words... Oops? Anyway, a big thank you to all my followers and favoriters!  
**


	10. The Lion's Den

_**...Chapter Nine: The Lion's Den...**_

I awoke the next morning with a soul-deep sense of calm. The sun filtered through the gauzy blue curtains, creating a look of being under water, and the faint sounds of birds could be heard through the windows on the east side of my room, which was opposite the bed. I breathed in the calm December morning air, and pulled the azure comforter up to my nose, trying to catch a few minutes more of sleep. I was just starting to drift back into my dreams, when a loud crash echoed up the stairs and down the halls. I heard Sheril yell, "Twins!", two sets of feet sprint past my door, and knew I wouldn't sleep again until I got them to be more considerate of the others in the house. Which would take quite a while.

Sighing yet again, I pulled myself out of my warm bed and grabbed the boar-hair brush off the cherry-wood dresser. I gently freed my hair from all tangles, and stepped into my shoes. After turning the knob on the door, I was almost hit with flying silverware, and heard the twins cackle as they ran further down the hall, and up the staircase to the third floor. I looked in both directions down the hall, and, seeing no one, took one step out the door, and jumped back as Sheril bolted past me to where the twins had disappeared. When he saw me frozen in shock, he turned back and said, "Good morning, Rhiannon. Did you happen to see where the twins went?"

"They just flew up the stairs to the third floor like a pair of bats out of hell." I said sarcastically. He recognized this, and gave me a dry glance, then went after the twins for a second time. When he had reached the stairs, he turned back and said, "In case you were wondering, everyone else is in the dining room. Lulu Bell wants to meet you today."

Following the sounds of voices, I went on my way down the steps, around the back of them, down another, short hallway, and into a bright, sunlit room. The space was taken up mostly by the large mahogany table, that could easily fit three dozen people, but was only occupied by nine people, with three plates that had been abandoned, no doubt by Sheril, Devit, and Jasdero, and one place in between the Earl and Tyki. On the side farthest from me sat, in order, Allen, Bookman, Lavi, Kanda, and Lenelee, and on the opposite, the Earl, the empty place setting, Tyki, Road, the three abandoned settings, and a female Noah I hadn't met before. Upon hearing my footsteps, the Noah all turned to see me clearly and the Exorcists halted their conversation. When the last Noah turned to face me, I heard the same voice I had heard when I met Tyki and Road, and said, "Rasutoru?" Even though her eyes were mostly closed, I saw a look of confusion pass over her face, before it changed back to its original mask of calm. "Wait, I'm sorry. You must be Lulu Bell. Sheril said you wanted to meet me, was this correct?" She nodded in response, but didn't say a word.

The Earl grinned like a maniac, then said "Rhiannon, you're awake~! Please have a seat, and breakfast~, then you and Lulu Bell can talk later~." He gestured to the high-backed chair to his right. Tyki stood, pulled out the chair, then pushed it back in after I had sat down. _Always the perfect gentleman, isn't he?_

"You're looking well, how are you feeling this morning?" asked Bookman, who was sitting with his hands crossed in his sleeves.

"Completely healed, thank you. I owe you my life."

"That was nothing, you do not owe me a thing." he said. "If you truly want to thank someone, give your thanks to Allen and Lord Mikk."

I turned to Tyki, and said, disbelieving, "_Lord _Mikk?"

He fidgeted, clearly uncomfortable. "That's my name in high society, when I'm with my brother. You can just call me by my first name." I could tell this was his preference. I didn't dwell on this, and instead asked the Earl, "What were you all discussing before I came in?"

* * *

Allen took this as an opportunity to take part in the conversation, "We were talking about what is going to happen to us Exorcists. Now that we have worked with the Noah in freeing you, they have marked us all as traitors."

Rhiannon stared at her hands resting on the table, her eyebrows drawing together, an expression of obvious distress written on her features."All of this trouble is my fault. If it wasn't for me, none of you would be involved in this."

Shocked by her sudden turn into the depths of depression, Tyki reached out and laid his left hand on her shoulder. She turned to him, and he said, "Don't you _ever_ think that again. I don't regret a single moment of the past five days, and I'm sure Road and the others agree." Her eyes widened, but she said nothing. He let his hand fall and stood when Sheril entered, pulling the twins by their ears. "What did they do this time, brother?"

"Took half of the good silver that the maids spent the past week polishing, and were using them for target practice. Most of it is now impaled in the walls around the house."

_Ah. So that's what happened. No wonder he's so upset, that's the silver for the party next week. _Sheril had been meticulously planning the tea party and following dinner for four months, and had invited dignitaries from across Europe and South America. The silver in question had been handed down through their family for generations.

The twins finally broke free of Sheril's vise-like grip, and zipped to where Rhiannon was seated. She pulled back as they leaned forward, almost nose-to-nose with her. She went slightly cross-eyed at their proximity to her. "Hey-ya! How've ya been, missy?"

"Yeah, how've ya been, hee?"

"Um... could you back away by about, oh, two feet? At least?" Tyki leaned over and pulled them back by their fur-trimmed collars.

"Hey! We're just bein' friendly!" Devit exclaimed. "Friendly, hee!" echoed Jasdero.

"That doesn't mean you have to try and kiss her." He dragged them back to their seats next to Lulu Bell, and sat back in his own chair. Sheril sat next to Road.

"Well, now that we're all here, we can decide how we will proceed~." said the Earl. The Exorcists all flinched, fearing this exact moment. "You are our enemies, and have caused a pain in our necks for years, and nearly destroyed our Ark. That aside, you had a hand in rescuing Rhiannon, who means a great deal to our family, even though you also lead her to her captivity. I understand that was not your intention, and will overlook that. The only one who can decide your fate is our dear Fifteenth~."

Rhiannon stared at the Earl, then studied the Exorcists closely. She gave each of their faces a steady, unfaltering look. "They didn't mean me any harm, and it was a complete accident that the Central Investigator heard about me, and if it wasn't for them, I would never have known any of my true family. I don't want any harm to come to any of them."

"Then I guess it's decided. If you agree, we will call a _temporary _truce. But, if you attack any of us, or the Akuma around the house, we will assume you are calling the truce off." The Earl motioned to Sheril, and both stood to walk back upstairs, presumably to Sheril's study. When they were gone, Road bounced into the Earl's seat, and leaned on Rhiannon's shoulder, playing with the silver bar and chain on her left ear. Rhiannon rolled her eyes slightly, but didn't move away. _Smart decision on her part, _thought Tyki.

"So, what do you think of the house so far~? Haven't gotten lost yet, right~?" she sing-songed.

"Not yet, but I'm sure to later." Rhiannon replied, then looked pleadingly into Tyki's eyes.

"How about we give her a tour after she and Lulu Bell have their talk?" Road pouted, but released Rhiannon's earring. Rhiannon followed Lulu Bell out of the formal dining room.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, the twins and Exorcists had left for different parts of the vast estate. Tyki and Road waited in the same place they had been before. When they heard steps on the marble behind them, they turned then stood to meet Rhiannon at the doorway. "Are you ready to give me that tour?"

Tyki smirked, then said, "That might take a while."

"I have a bit of free time." she said sarcastically. "Lead the way."

"Well, first, the large French doors behind you lead to the ballroom." They then made their way down the hall and back up the grand staircase, Tyki and Road pointing out various rooms on the way, including Sheril's study, four guest rooms, the one Rhiannon was using not included, a sitting room, the library, and the music room, the last two Rhiannon was sure she would be spending a lot of her time in.

* * *

Back at the Black Order, everything was far from calm. The Generals were worried that now that the Noah knew where they were, they would have a second, more destructive battle, the Science Division trying to figure out where the Ark door they had used led to, the Exorcists worrying what had happened to their comrades, and Lvellie lecturing Komui on "allowing" this to happen.

"Now that five Exorcists, your own sister included, have seemingly sided with the Noah, I will, as of this moment, be taking full command of the Order, and how we will be dealing with these betrayals. Most likely, all will be executed, and the girl they broke out of captivity turned over to Central for further analysis."

_How can he talk about human lives as if they are completely worthless? Just what were those kids thinking that brought them to this?_

* * *

**And I have updated again! Please tell me of any mistakes, or if someone is too OOC... My back hurts and my arms and legs are covered in bug bites from camp. They hurt sooooo much! I am feeling much better today, but please keep me in your thoughts. I don't know when I will be needing it. This chapter is much shorter than the past two... :/  
**


	11. Ten Black Roses

_**...Chapter Ten: Ten Black Roses...**_

I could, after two days of struggling, find my way around the vast estate with little problem. The majority of my time was spent listening to Road babble, sitting in the library with Tyki, Lavi, and Bookman, going into the city of Lisbon with Lulu Bell, who was trying to find a dress for the upcoming party, or playing the glossy cherry-wood grand piano in the music room. On such occasions, the Noah would sit silently in the corner closest to the floor-to-ceiling windows that faced the west side of the house. Every now and again, Allen would lean against the door frame, but would only stay for a few minutes, before disappearing to where ever the Exorcists were spending their time. Scattered around the room were various other instruments, including a Spanish guitar, a silver flute, a violin, and a cello, all of which I eyed with great interest when no one else was around. On the fifth day after waking up in the home of my new family, as I had taken to calling the Noah, my curiosity had reached its limit, and I brought the cello, a truly stunning instrument made from tiger maple, to one of the chairs the Noah usually say in. I carefully tuned each string to perfection, and tightened the bow hairs. The bow itself was made of black horse hair, the same tiger maple, and inlaid with black mother-of-pearl.

I had just started playing the first notes of Bach's Cello Suite No.1, when Allen and Tyki walked into the room. I froze instantly. "What are you two doing here?"

* * *

"We've been looking for you for a while. Lulu Bell and Road have been asking where you were, and Road was starting to pout and hit Lero on every solid surface she could find." Allen said.

Tyki tried to not think of the similarities of this moment to his dream. Based on the look Rhiannon was giving him, she was thinking the same thing. "Why are they looking for me?"

"Lulu Bell said something about final dress fittings. She also said you haven't picked a dress for the party yet. You do know it's tomorrow, right?"

Rhiannon glanced down at the strings of the cello, "I wasn't planning on going at all. I didn't think I was invited."

"You being there would make the whole thing much more tolerable." Tyki said. She looked back up, trying to read from his eyes if he was being honest or not.

"He's right, and it would be nice to know someone besides the Noah there." said Allen. Tyki wasn't surprised by this statement, as he had been told the Exorcists would be invited to attend by the Earl that morning. Rhiannon hadn't, and looked slightly dumbfounded, then gave them both a dry smile.

"Well, if you put it like that, I guess I have no choice."

* * *

Lulu Bell, Road, and I were now at the downtown, and very expensive, dress shop they had chosen earlier that week. Lulu Bell and Road were having their last fitting on the dresses they had selected on the first visit, while I was attempting to find a dress that would fit on such short notice. I glanced back at Lulu Bell and Road, who were both in their human forms, and their stunning dresses. Lulu Bell's was dark violet with red rose accents, and hugged every curve. Road's was a confection of violet and aqua ruffles, with white bows, and matching shoes. _I could never dream of looking like them..._

I was jerked out of my thoughts by Road's incessant tugging on my arm. "Rhia~, have you picked one yet~?"

"Not yet. Everything is either too short, or too frilly, or has too many bows."

"Wait, you don't like bows? Do you not think my dress is cute?" she pouted, looking much younger than she really was.

"That's not what I meant in the least. Your dress is adorable, but on me, bows look... puffy. I'm okay with just one in the back, but all of these have more than ten." I said with honesty. I was too tall and thin for bows to look even slightly acceptable on my figure, and my features were much more mature than Road's.

"Hmm, I think I can fix that... Lulu Bell!" she ran back to where the a fore mentioned Noah was, and had a brief, whispered discussion. Lulu Bell then turned to the owner of the shop, a young woman with auburn hair and freckles, who then turned to me, and gestured me over by waving a hand. I let the heavy brocade dress I was holding fall back into place on the rack. That one looked nice, but the hem was four inches above my ankles. I walked calmly over to them, but inside I was panicking, worried what torture Road had thought up.

"Madam Bell informed me that you are unable to find a suitable dress. Please follow me to the back, we have dresses specially made for a woman of your stature." _Did she just insult me? _I wondered, but quickly reconsidered when I saw the envious glances she was giving me. When I passed the Noah, I mouthed _Thank you! _Lulu Bell gave me the hint of a smile, and Road grinned ear to ear. The shopkeeper, who was more than six inches shorter than me, lead me to a storage room in the back. I stared, as I had never seen this many ball gowns outside of a, well, a ball. She pointed to the far corner, where I saw an entire rack of dresses the proper length, and I eagerly looked through them. And was sorely disappointed once again. The dresses here were made in a similar fashion as the ones in front, with way to many bows, frills, and beading. Some were so heavily encrusted in crystals, they looked more like a chip of ice then a gown. I sorrowfully pushed one after another down the rack, my heart sinking lower in my chest with each gown I passed. I was about to give up and walk out, when a peek of ice-blue satin and jade lace caught my eye at the very end of the rack. I almost ran to it, and, pulling it out, nearly squealed with delight. This was my dress.

I held the hanger in my left hand, and kept the train from dragging on the floor with my right, and attempted to look civilized as I re-entered the fitting rooms. "Ladies," the Noah turned. I held up the dress, Lulu Bell's eyes opened completely and smiled more than I had yet seen, and Road giggled like a toddler. "I think I found it." They both nodded enthusiastically.

After checking that the dress fit (like a glove), paying, and stopping shortly at a jeweler on the same block, we were finally on our way home. Lulu Bell and Road had both purchased a parure with stones matching the colors of their gowns, and I selected only a simple, oval moonstone set in silver, and a hammered silver torque. When we were within one hundred yards of the manor, Road leaned out the window and yelled, "Father, Tyki! We're back~!" Both Noah turned in our direction to see Road half in, and half out of the carriage we were seated in. Sheril grinned and waved enthusiastically back while Tyki rolled his eyes. As soon as the carriage was almost to a complete stop, Road jumped out into Sheril's arms. Lulu Bell and I chose a more dignified manner of exit. Tyki smirked and led the way back inside, Sheril cooing at Road the entire time. The Earl was just inside the door, and when he saw us, he asked, "Well did you find a gown that fits?" I nodded silently, and he said, "So let us see it~!"

As I was about to take the dress out of its large white box, Road pulled my hand back and said, "Wait, Rhia~! Let's surprise them with it at the ball~!"

Tyki rolled his eyes again, Sheril pouted in a similar way to Road, and the Earl sighed. "Well, if you insist. Sheril, Tyki, we'll be leaving in about an hour~."

"Where are you going, if I may ask?" I inquired.

"We have to pick up our new suits. The Earl insisted." Tyki said. "But, while I'm still here, would you mind finishing the song you were playing earlier?"

I smiled, put my coat back in the hall closet, and made my way up the stairs to the music room, which was across and two down to the left of mine. The room was empty, and I went back to the place I had been seated earlier that morning. I pulled the cello up from where it had laid on its side, and re-tuned it. When that was done, I held the bow to the strings, and played the familiar melody of Bach's Cello Suite No.1 Prelude. When the final note resounded off the walls, I lowered the bow, and Tyki clapped softly, not wanting to break the stillness of the air. I stood, and put the cello back in its stand. "Shall we?" I gestured to the door. He followed me down the hall to the library. We both picked up the books we had abandoned the night before, and sat in chairs across from each other.

* * *

Tyki stared at Rhiannon above the spine of his book, watching as she yet again pushed her hair behind her ears. He almost laughed out loud when it slipped again, and she glared cross-eyed at it in front of her nose. She heard his chuckle, and turned her glare at him. "Think it's funny, do you?"

"Tremendously." he chuckled again.

"Osel. And here I was thinking I would get a little sympathy from you. I thought wrong." she grouched.

"Was that Russian? What did you say to me?"

"I'm not saying another word until you apologize."

He was about to do so when the twins crashed into the door, and Devit said, "The Earl's about to leave without you, so ya might want ta hurry."

Tyki sighed and stood. He turned to Rhiannon and said, "I guess I'll see you at dinner. Don't disappear for another seven millennia while I'm gone." He could have sworn she grinned at his words. He ran down the steps, so to not be left behind. He slid into the carriage next to Sheril and across from the Earl, then tuned them out as they discussed politics. The drive took about half an hour, and they were at the tailor's. Walking back to the carriage, he saw a flash of silver in a window, and, remembering what Rhiannon was struggling with less than two hours ago, said, "I'll catch up, I just need to pick up one last thing." The others shrugged, and continued on their way to where the carriage was waiting.

* * *

I hadn't seen Tyki, the Earl, or Sheril the rest of the day, and they weren't at dinner. Tired, I went back to the music room, and played piano for an hour. When I felt like I was about to fall asleep on the keys, I went back to my room. After closing the door, I noticed a bouquet on my side table. When I went closer, I saw the flowers were all black roses, so dark they looked like crushed velvet. Next to the vase was a small brown package with a note.

_I hope this makes up for what I did earlier, and not being at dinner. Just, don't stay angry at me for long, it was never meant as an insult. I can't wait to see you at the ball tomorrow._

_Tyki._

I opened the package, not knowing what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised at the beautifully crafted silver comb, with crystal roses and a single drop-seed pearl hanging in the center. I grabbed a pen and slip of paper from the desk, and wrote,

_This more than makes up for it. I was never angry at you, and will be waiting in the ballroom for you tomorrow at six._

_Rhiannon._

I then walked to the library, and marked a page of his book with the folded note, about an inch sticking out of it.

* * *

**Yay, more romance! And finally, next will be the ball! Which Exorcists do you want to be there? This chapter is named after one of my favorite songs by The Rasmus, and I highly suggest you check out their music!  
**


	12. Dance with the Devil

_**...Chapter Eleven: Dance With the Devil...**_

Tyki yawned and stretched, slowly walking down the second floor hall. He, Sheril, and the Earl had gotten back around midnight, way past dinner. He hadn't found Rhia in any of her usual haunts, so he had put the ebony-colored roses and hair comb on her side table, hoping she would find them before she went to sleep. He entered the library, wanting to finish one more chapter before the ball-slash-early Christmas party his brother was hosting. He was about to lose himself to the world of literature, when he saw a slip of folded paper sticking out of his book. His curiosity piqued, he unfolded and read the note, written in elegant script. A soft, peaceful smile spread across his lips, and he laid the book back on the reading table. It was almost noon, which meant the servants would soon be running around the house and gardens in a panic, trying to finish the decorations for the party. After he had walked down the stairs to the ground floor, he saw the cloud of white powder outside, and thought, _If I didn't know better, I'd say that was a Christmas miracle. It rarely ever snows in Portugal._

* * *

After breakfast, which ended at nine, Road yanked me up two flights of stairs, into her room of horrors, a.k.a., her personal bathroom. My dress, shoes, and torque were laying on the wide counter, and a warm bath was running in the tub big enough for three people.

"Get in, I'll help wash your hair~!" Normally, I would refuse, but Road had burst into my room several times while I was changing, so I thought nothing of it. I relaxed as she, surprisingly, gently pulled a brush through my hair, and massaged my scalp with lavender hair lotion. When she was done, she sent me back out in the main part of the house to let my hair dry.

I wandered down the halls into the formal dinning room to see the servants bringing in another table of equal size, draping both tables in a pure white cloth, hanging pine garlands along the walls, setting out the fine silver, and putting tall, blood red tapers in the candelabras. I saw the ballroom was getting the same treatment, and two dozen circular tables had been set the same way as the two in the dinning room. The head housekeeper, who had been introduced to me four days ago, ran past, and I stopped her to ask, "Is there anything I can help with?"

"Oh, no, Lady, I would never ask that of you." I walked back up the stairs, to the the library, slightly disgruntled. When I got to my new favorite armchair, I saw the note I had left for Tyki was gone. Smiling to myself, I opened to the page I had left off on last night, content to read until Road found me again.

* * *

Three hours later, Road came back to drag me upstairs. In her bathroom was Lulu Bell, Lenalee, their dresses( Lenalee was borrowing one of Lulu Bell's), and my dress, still in its box. The counter was lined with cosmetics and hair curlers. Lenalee's hair was already pinned up in a chignon, and she was helping Lulu Bell with her makeup. Hers was already done, emerald green eye-shadow and pale pink lipstick, Lulu Bell's was plum eye-shadow with rose-colored lipstick.

"Sit there, and I'll curl your hair~."

"You do know that will take quite a while, right?"

"Yes, that's why I called you in here so early. C'mon, sit down so I can get started." she insisted. As soon as I was seated, she pulled my hair over the back of the chair she motioned to. She re-brushed my hair, now dry, and in its usual loose curls. She started to create a masterpiece of curls and braids, pulled into a half-up do. Lulu Bell and Lenalee finished at least an hour before Road, and were now deciding on what colors to use for my makeup. They opted for an eye-shadow in the palest of greens, and a sheer pink lip color, with a hint of rouge. We had ten minutes before we were late, and could hear the voices of guests arriving in the foyer. We practically jumped into our dresses and heels, and sprinted down the second floor stair-case, composed ourselves in the hall, and descended the grand stair-case.

* * *

Allen and Lavi had no clue how the day had ended like this. They were both in full formal suits, greeting guests like this was a normal occurrence. Kanda was nowhere to be found, and Bookman was hiding in the back corner of the library. They had moved to the right of the grand stair-case in the foyer, waiting for the girls to finish and come downstairs, before they could sit in the dinning room with the rest of the guests. Tyki and Sheril sauntered calmly to where the Exorcists were, perfectly comfortable in this environment.

"Don't you two look thrilled to be here?" asked Tyki, sarcastically.

"I can think of a few other places I would rather be." answered Allen honestly. Tyki smirked.

"You're not alone in that, but the Earl insisted I was here. Now we just wait for the girls, who should be here any second."

As if on cue, the crowd of guests still in the foyer gasped. At that moment, Road and Lulu Bell walked side by side down the steps, Road in a cupcake-style dress of aqua and lavender ruffled silk, Lulu Bell in a full-skirted, midnight-violet gown with red roses stitched along the hem. They were followed by Lenalee, who was wearing a deep emerald dress with pick-ups and darker green roses made of a similar satin as the dress. The three of them stopped in front of the men, Sheril already swooning over Road's adorableness. He then broke away and asked, "But, where's Rhiannon?"

"She had to stop at her room to grab something, but said she would only be a minute. Father, can we go dance~?"

"Of course, darling!" Sheril and Road disappeared into the crowd, presumably to the ballroom, where the orchestra was starting to play a slow waltz. The remaining five stared silently at each other.

"So... I guess we wait for Rhiannon?" said Lavi.

"Sure." answered Lenalee, and the others shrugged. The front door opened just as a gust of wind swept past, and the temperature in the foyer dropped significantly. When it was finally forced closed again, the crowd mumbled excitedly. The Exorcists and Noah glanced around, trying to see what everyone was now talking about, then, seeing them looking up, turned to see Rhiannon descending the stairs. No, not descending...

_Floating._

She walked with an elegance that cannot be taught, only hoped to achieve. Beautiful did not begin to describe the woman they saw before them. She was _transcendent._ She was wearing a work of art made of ice-blue satin, the skirt overlaid with lace of the palest jade, and cap-sleeves of the same lace. The bodice was embroidered with silver thread and small crystals grouped to look like perfect snowflakes. The snowflakes seemed to fall down the bodice onto the skirt, so the dress itself looked like a flurry brought to life. She wore none of the padding that the rest of the women in attendance did. Her hair was in a complex half-up do of tiny braids and ringlets, the rest cascaded freely down her back, and the silver streaks curled over her shoulders, framing her delicate jaw. Her skirt swirled on the marble, and in the silence the room had fallen into, they could hear the faint click of heels.

_As if she needed to be any taller. _thought Tyki. The crowd parted as she passed, and she stopped in front of them. "You three look like you've seen a ghost." she said to the men.

They snapped out of their trance, and Tyki said, "Shall we go to the dinning room? I'm sure the Earl is waiting." He held out his arm to Rhiannon, who rested her hand on it. Allen and Lenalee did the same, and Lavi and Lulu Bell stared at each other briefly, before walking awkwardly with a good three feet of space between them.

Tyki turned to the woman on his left arm, and whispered, "So, what did you stop at your room for?"

"I'm surprised you haven't noticed." She turned her head, and rested her fingers on her hair. More specifically, the fine silver comb and pitch black rose she had worked into the half-bun. The comb and rose he had given her. The delicate crystal roses somehow fit with the snowflakes woven into her dress. When they entered the brightly lit dinning hall, the Earl and Sheril immediately turned their attention to the three pairs walking towards them.

* * *

"Rhiannon, you look simply marvelous~!" said the Earl.

"Yes, where did you find a dress like that on such short notice?" I could tell I was blushing lightly, beyond happy to be a part of this family. My family. The Earl turned, and we followed him to the first table. The Earl sat at the head, Sheril to his left and Tyki to his right. I was beside Tyki, Allen was on my right, and Lenalee was on his other side. Lavi and Lulu Bell were seated further down the table. When we were seated, an older gentleman four seats down from Sheril said, "Earl Millennium, who is this enchanting creature?" I saw Tyki give him a slight glare from my peripheral.

"Duke Andria, this lovely young woman is Rhiannon Dragomir, a guest who is staying with us."

"Dragomir, you say. Not Gregorio Dragomir's daughter?"

I smiled uncomfortably, "Yes, that would be me."

Tyki nudged my arm, "Are you sure you want to be here?"

"I'll be fine." Just then, dinner arrived, and the Duke forgot me for the moment.

* * *

Dinner was finally over, and I was waiting for Tyki to get back from the dance floor. A rather bold, and devastatingly beautiful, woman had asked him to dance the next waltz. Without someone I knew by my side, I was getting uneasy in the crowd, and was becoming disorientated. I left the far corner to search for the Earl or Sheril. Luckily, I found Sheril within a few minutes, and sat in a chair next to him that an unknown dignitary had just left. Road was in his lap.

"Rhiannon, there you are, I was just telling of how you almost got hit with silverware the other day. I'm sure I left something out, can you help m-" he cut himself off when he saw my expression. He picked Road up off his lap, grabbed my wrist, and pulled me to the table that the Earl was seated at. He was about to ask what was going on, when he saw the same as Sheril, and told the other occupants of the table he would be back shortly. Sheril released my wrist and the Earl laid his hand on my mid-back. They led me from the ballroom to the foyer, Sheril grabbed my black wool coat, and we went outside, into the snow.

"Huh, snow in Portugal. This really is a strange year." Sheril mused.

"Is that a good or a bad thing?" I asked. I got my answer in the warm, side-hug he gave me.

"So, my dear, can you explain what happened inside~?" asked the Earl, as we strolled down a familiar garden path, then stopped at the same fountain.

"I... I just froze. I was alright before Tyki left, and when he was gone, it felt like the walls were closing in on me. I haven't done well in crowds since... my parents..." I knew I was rambling, but couldn't care less. My blood felt like ice, and it wasn't because of the snowstorm.

Sheril turned back, saying, "I'll find Tyki. You obviously feel safe around him." and disappeared.

The Earl turned to me, looking me in the eyes, and said, "Do you just want to go to bed early, and get away from the party?"

"No, if I don't deal with this now, I never will. I have to do this." I was determined, and wasn't going to back down on my word.

Tyki was walking up the path towards us, and the Earl and I stood. Without saying a word, Tyki offered his arm, and I took it, feeling like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. We walked back to the manor slowly, silently. Upon entering the house, we took off our winter coats, Tyki linked his arm with mine again, and we made our way to the ballroom again. When we did, I saw the same young lady from before approaching Tyki, and she saw me. Holding onto Tyki's arm. She glared, backed away, and angrily stated whispering to group of women in outrageous dresses, made with so many flamboyant colors they resembled tropical birds. They broke apart and started to spread the lie they had been told around the vast ballroom. The space seemed to buzz with untruth. My panic started to make its way back, and I tensed, shivering. Tyki saw this, and said, "If you can't handle the crowd, I'll take you upstairs, lock you in your room, and there will be no arguments."

I glared, then said, "Why do you care if I'm feeling alright? What do I mean to you?"

"I don't know, it's just. That dream, I keep trying to remember more, but I'm drawing a blank."

"I know the feeling." I hadn't realized how close we were standing until I saw two all to familiar faces.

"Luca, Viktor? What are you doing here?"

* * *

Tyki turned to see the two men that Rhiannon somehow knew. One was an inch shorter than him, with sharp, angular features and dark brown hair; the other was the same height as Tyki, blonde, and had features a little softer than his companion's.

The blonde one said, in utter disbelief, "_Ree!_" _Who's Ree? _thought Tyki.

"I never expected you two to be here! Is there anyone else with you?"

"Ah, yes, I'll go find them." said the brunette, who then went to search for the rest of their party.

"Rhia, could you please introduce me to your friends?" Tyki asked, feeling like he had been shoved to the side.

"Oh, right, sorry. Tyki, this is Luca Tolstoy, and that was Viktor Volonsky. Their friends from my childhood. Luca, this," she tightened her hold on Tyki's arm, like she was trying to hug him, "is Tyki Mikk. His brother is the host of this party." She stared in the direction of where Viktor had walked off, he was now followed by another man and two women. "I can't believe it! Cleona, Deirdre, Gideon! It's been too long!" She embraced all of them, grinning. She turned back to Tyki, and whispered in his ear, "These are the Fae who saved my life. They distracted Alexander while I escaped, and I thought they had all been killed because of this."

Then, all six Fae looked to the stage. They heard a melody flowing from a horn, then a harp, then the orchestra. "I remember this song... May I borrow Rhiannon for a few moments?" Luca asked Tyki. Tyki nodded, and Luca led Rhiannon to the dance floor. As the song started to get louder, he recognized it too. Waltz of the Flowers, from the Nutcracker. The three couples arranged themselves in a triangle, and when the full orchestra started to play, they began an elegant, complicated waltz. The other dancers left the floor to give them more room, and they used all they were given. They were perfectly in synch to each other and the music. The dance was comprised of complex steps, turns, lifts and jumps. As the music would soften, they would swirl closer together, then break apart to take up the whole floor. Tyki had never seen such an amazing dance. At the finale, the women were turned on their heels seven times, then they broke apart again to create a story of movement. A story of life, love, and friendship. The entire room resounded with applause. The Fae smiled, bowed, and broke apart. Rhiannon walked back to Tyki, avoiding staying in conversation for too long.

"You were amazing." She blushed and sat back down, Tyki to her left, the Earl and Sheril behind her.

"Thank you. I haven't danced like that in a long time. It brings back a lot of memories."

"All good, I hope."

She shrugged her slim shoulders. "Some good, some not."

He was about to reply, when the Duke who had tried to talk to Rhiannon and the girl he had been dancing with came up to them. "Lord Mikk, I had no idea, how splendid!"

"What are you talking about, sir?" said Tyki. He glanced over his shoulder to see his brother and the Earl just as confused.

"About the girl, Lady Dragomir! Why didn't you introduce her as such at dinner, that would have saved me quite a bit of embarrassment!"

"I still don't understand quite what you mean, sir. What about Rhiannon...?"

"That's she's your fiancee! This truly is marvelous! I have to tell the others..." he trailed off and hobbled away, to where, they had no idea. The girl glared, malicious, then turned on her heel.

Tyki was dumbfounded, and turned to the woman on his right. She stared at the far wall, like she could see nothing in front of her, and tears were building at the corners of her eyes. "Rhia-" Before he could finish, she was running out of the ballroom. She had a head start, and the Earl, Sheril, and Tyki followed as quickly as they could through the sea of party guests. When they could see her again, she had already run out the front door, into the snow. Without her coat. The three of them yanked on their own coats, and Tyki grabbed the first thing he saw for Rhiannon. They sprinted out the door, and saw her in the distance, but the heels and snow were slowing her down, and they caught up fairly swiftly. She was shivering like a leaf in stiff wind, and her skin was turning blue in the moonlight. Tears streamed freely from her eyes. Tyki grabbed her wrist and turned her to face him.

"What?" she sobbed.

"Why did you run away? You'll get sick in this weather." Tyki draped the black cloak over her shoulders, and pulled her to him. She resisted at first, then melted into his embrace. _Just like in the gardens._

"We're worried about you enough as it is, without having to think about you freezing to death of all things." said Sheril, "Besides, the engagement thing was just a cruel prank, because she wanted you away from Tyki here."

"Well..." said the Earl.

They all turned to give him a death-glare. "What?" growled Tyki.

The Earl fidgeted. "She wasn't too far off." He pulled a chain out of the neck of his suit, then over his head. He handed it to Tyki, who held it up so Rhiannon could see what was hanging on it. On the chain was a simple, thin silver band, dulled with time. When her finger touched the ring, they were jerked into a memory.

_"Don't turn around. I have a surprise for you!" She heard Joido say. She was seated on the bench next to the lily pond._

_"What could you possibly have to surprise _me _with?"_

_"How about... this?" He came to sit next to her, and held out a silver ring that shone in the sun like a captured star. "So, what do you say? Will you be mine forever?"_

_She grinned, tears finding tracks down her face, "Of course! You didn't even have to ask."_

"We were engaged." Tyki said in wonder. Rhiannon was too shocked to say a word.

The Earl looked heartbroken, from what, they didn't know. "Yes, and very much in love. Hopefully, you can find that again, and prove to that girl that you aren't someone who will be pushed to the side."

* * *

**Yay, new chapter. But, don't worry, the ball isn't over yet! Lavi has yet to do anything incredibly stupid. I'm turning sixteen on the third! And... last chapter I passed TWENTY THOUSAND FREAKING WORDS! I love you all so much, but need your help immensely. I'm getting suicidal, and might be leaving for a while. But, I will update whenever I am able.**


	13. Silent All These Years

_**...Chapter Twelve: Silent All These Years...**_

Tyki and I stared at the ring long after Sheril and the Earl had gone back to the party. Neither of us knew what to think of this new revelation. We were sitting on the rim of the fountain, and Tyki was running the chain across his fingers, not saying a word. The silence was broken only by the soft shifting of the snow in the wind.

Tyki had been leaning back on one hand when he sat up suddenly. "Let me see your hand."

"Wait, what? Ten minutes of nothing, and the first thing you say is that?"

"Just give me your hand, I want to test something." I held out my right hand. "No, the other one." I hesitatingly gave him my left, and he took the ring off the long chain and slipped it on my fourth finger. I expected it to be too big, or too small, but it fit perfectly. We turned to stare, wide-eyed, at each other.

"How is this possible? This ring is seven thousand years old, how could it possibly..." There was too much going on at once for a single thing like this to register to me.

"I guess it's because it was your ring? This doesn't make any sense."

_I completely agree with that. How could I not remember my own fiancee?  
_

"Maybe we should go back inside." I said, and Tyki nodded. As we were standing, I felt the ring started to feel warm. I glanced down- "Tyki!"

The ring was changing shape; the silver was now bright and shone in the moonlight, and a black pearl and two tiny rubies were set in the metal. We looked at each other, not knowing what would come next.

* * *

As they walked back through the front door to rejoin the party, Rhiannon's left hand on his right arm, Tyki leaned to whisper in Rhiannon's ear, "If you want to take the ring to your room, I'll wait here for you."

"I'll keep it on, for now. Is that alright with you?"

"Uh... sure?" _What could she be planning now? Does she want people to think we're engaged?_

"Only for the rest of this party. From there, it's up to you." Then, they were back with the Earl, Road and Sheril, who all immediately saw the ring on Rhiannon's slim finger. Road giggled, Sheril raised an eyebrow, and the Earl grinned.

"Rhia~, where did you get that ring~?" Road asked whilst still giggling.

"It was Seraphiel's." Road sobered instantly, and stared at her hands in her lap. Everyone who knew the true story of the ring she wore went silent. "I think she would have wanted me to wear it."

"Right you are, and it looks even lovelier on you~." said the Earl. Sheril nodded in agreement, then asked, "Who were the five people I saw you two with earlier?"

"Some friends from my past. They know all my old stories." She didn't want to say they were Fae with humans around, but the Noah understood her meaning.

"Do you think you could introduce us?" asked Sheril.

"Of course, I just have to find them. They have a talent for disappearing." The humans laughed, not knowing she was utterly serious, but the Noah knew. The three still seated told the others at the table they would be back later, and stood to follow Rhiannon and Tyki. Occasionally, one of them would stop to speak with a guest, and several times someone commented on Rhiannon's ring. Rhiannon and Tyki would chat amiably, neither confirming nor denying the engagement, keeping everyone else guessing, and the Noah could tell they were enjoying the little game. Rhiannon and Tyki walked in front, the Earl, Road, and Sheril directly behind them. After fifteen minutes of wandering and aimless chatter, Rhiannon spotted the five Fae from before, as well as six others they hadn't seen before. The blonde man, Luca, saw them and nudged the others, who turned in their direction.

* * *

I couldn't even begin to describe what a shock it was to see eleven of my closest friends after three and a half years. Eleven friends I thought had been killed in cold blood, for saving my sorry life. When we reached them, I asked, "Would you all like to find somewhere more private, so we can catch up on lost time?" I got a mix of nods, "Sure"'s, and shrugs. Tyki and I, still with our arms looped together, led the way through the dining room, up the grand stair case, and into the library. Road, the last one into the room, shut the door tightly behind her. When the door closed, Tyki and I broke apart. Everyone was looking at me expectantly.

"I'll try to keep this as short as possible. These people," I gestured to the Noah, who were to the left and behind me,"are the Noah, my new family. The Noah are a family of super-humans who are reborn every generation, and are the original ancestors of the human race. There are fifteen Noah, myself included. Here are Tyki Mikk, Sheril Kamelot, Road Kamelot, and the Millennium Earl. Tyki has already met Luca Tolstoy, Viktor Volonsky, Gideon Montoya, Cleona O'Grady, and Deirdre MacCleod. This," I gestured to a girl who was 5'2", had strawberry blonde hair, and ocean blue eyes, "is Fyre Blackraven, this," a girl who was 5'6", with thick, curly, rich chocolate brown hair and eyes so dark, they were nearly black, "is Svetlana Meryinsky, this," a petite girl with platinum blonde hair and sea green eyes, "is Lena Petipat." I moved on to the men, "This," I turned my attention first to the identical twins, with messy, light brown hair and emerald-green eyes, and standing at 6'1 ", is Dante and Marco Alligheri, and this," a man with fiery orange hair, cerulean blue eyes, and who stood at 6'2", "is Ianto Tudor. They were some of my closest friends when I was a younger teenager. They were also the people who saved me from Alexander after he killed our parents."

Lena, who had been avoiding any and all eye contact with the Noah, looked up, and in a tiny and heavily accented voice, said, "New family? Why did you call them that, Ree?"

* * *

_There's that name again. Why are the calling her Ree?  
_

"The story of our family is rather long to tell. Would it be possible to continue this conversation another time~?" asked the Earl. The time was close to one in the morning, which meant the party was almost over, and most of the guests were gone. The Fae nodded, and Sheril and the Earl led the way back to the foyer. When they were almost to the dining room, they could hear a large crash emanating from the ballroom, and after freezing for five seconds, Sheril said, "Do I want to know what that was?"

"You have two choices. The twins, or Lavi." Rhiannon replied dryly. Both suggestions appeared to horrify him. With trepidation, they continued to the ballroom. Upon reaching their destination, they were dumbstruck at the sight before them. Allen and Kanda were glaring at each other, several plates had been shattered, a candelabra was thrown on the floor, red wax dripping like blood on the cream marble, and Lavi was attempting to pull them apart. Tyki and Rhiannon exchanged a wry glance, then calmly but swiftly strided to the three male Exorcists. Tyki assisted Lavi in pulling Allen back, and Rhia yanked on Kanda's earlobe. Kanda looked like he was about to fight back, then thought better of it, and allowed himself to be pulled back.

Sheril sighed, then said, "I'll tell the last of the guests the party is over." then left for the foyer.

The Earl turned back to the Fae. "Is there a possibility you could come back tomorrow~? I'm sure you all are tired after a long journey~." As if on cue, Lena yawned. The other Fae smiled and chuckled, said their goodbyes, and left into the moonlit night. The Earl laid a hand on Rhiannon's shoulder and said, "Get some sleep, we can talk later in the morning." She, Tyki, and Road went back to their new sanctuary, the library.

* * *

"Hah, that was tiring." Tyki exhaled. I hummed in response. "So... why did they call you Ree?"

I could tell I was grimacing. "It's an old nickname my brothers used to call me."

"And you don't really like it?"

"Not particularly. It just stuck. After all, it's easier to say than Rhiannon, or any of my other names."

Road hummed. "Ya know, I've been wondering why you have so many middle names."

"Family names, passed down for many, many generations. I'm the first woman born under the Dragomir name in almost five hundred years, so I guess you could say they went all out." I said sarcastically.

Tyki snorted. "You're telling me. Your friends had some pretty interesting names, too. I thought the Tudor name had died out."

"In the human world, yes. The original Tudor family was Fae."

"Huh. Are there any others like that?"

"Ugh, too many to list. I could spend an hour or more just trying to remember them all."

Road was pouting, tired of being ignored. "Rhia~, can we go take your hair down? It's gonna take a while, and I'm tired~!"

I smiled at her antics. "Alright, I have a hair-pin headache anyway."

Tyki smirked, and said, "Well, I'll see you ladies in the morning." then picked up his book.

Before I could answer, Road was pulling me down the hall and up the stairs to her room. She chattered happily about the party the whole way, everything from the food to the dresses the female guests wore."And did you see the girl from Argentina? It was a lovely shade of red, but on her it looked like a tomato. How about the French duke's wife? Her dress was really pretty, and well picked out. I loved the understated peach accents to the tangerine-colored satin, but don't you think that's more of a summer dress than a winter one?" and on and on it went. I had given up trying to answer, and was glad when we finally reached the bathroom. Lulu Bell and Lenalee were already there, washing the makeup off their skin and laying their dresses carefully back in the boxes. Road plunked me in the chair she had me in to do my hair, and set to work removing all of the pins from my very, very heavy hair. I sighed with relief when my thick curls finally cascaded between my shoulder-blades. Lulu Bell smiled, grabbed a soft-bristled brush, and worked it through my hair, and it seemed, to me at least, that I was purring with delight. I struggled out of my gown, and carefully laid it in its box. Road snickered when she saw my eyes drifting closed, and sent us all out of her room to go to bed.

I half stumbled down the stairs, then nearly ran face-first into Tyki, who was just walking out of the library. "Rhiannon." he looked at my hand. "You're still wearing the ring?"

"Haven't had a chance to take it off yet."

"Oh. So, are you?"

"I guess. Why?" _This conversation just took a turn for the awkward._

"I just thought you were going to wear it often..."

_Ah. So that's what it was. _"Well, if it's okay with you, I could wear it."

"I think it would be a good thing. Anyway, I'm sure you're very tired after today." As if on cue, I yawned hard enough my jaw popped loudly. Tyki smirked and said, "I'll see you in the morning." then continued down the hall. I silently walked to my room, closed the door, laid my hair comb and rose on the side table, and shuffled to my bed in the dark. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

* * *

Later that morning, I awoke to an icy blue light filtering through my curtains. I shifted out of my warm blankets and uneventfully walked downstairs. My eyebrow quirked at the sound of more voices than usual in the dining room. I suspiciously made my way through the foyer, and froze upon entry to the dining room, and the sight that beheld me. Seated at the mahogany table was my new family, the Exorcists, and...

"What are you all doing here?"

"Ah, Rhiannon~. Your friends got here about half an hour ago. Road wanted to wake you, but I asked her to wait. Perhaps now we can further explain the dynamics of our family~?"

* * *

**Finally! This chapter only took me, oh... six days to write. I'm sorry! I got writers block, I swear! Hopefully I will be back to my usual schedule now. Maybe? Anyway, please leave a review! **


	14. Another Place To Call Home

_**...Chapter**_ _**Thirteen: Another Place To Call Home... **_

Tyki had been awoken by Road bouncing on her knees on his bed, nearly landing on the scars on his right arm. He groaned, turned on his right side to see what time it was, and seeing the pale blue light just barely filtering through the curtains, decided it was too early to be awake.

"C'mon, Tyki, get up!" insisted Road.

He groaned again, this time in annoyance. Sometimes, he really hated his niece. "No. It's just barely sunrise, and the party didn't end until one thirty in the morning. Go away and let me sleep."

"But... Rhia's friends are in the dining room." At this, Tyki's eyes opened to stare at the far wall. Seeing this, Road smirked.

"Alright, alright, I'm up. Now, are they really here, or are you just saying that to get me out of bed?" he said as he pushed himself up and kicked off the covers. He was still in his shirt and trousers from the party.

"Why would you think I would ever do such a thing?" Road said with false innocence. Tyki sent her a glare. "Point taken. They really are here. I wanted to wake Rhia before I woke you, but the Earl said to let her sleep."

"That's probably for the best. She got the shock of a lifetime last night. Well, no point in staying in here when there are friends to interoga- I mean, get to know better." he said sarcastically.

"Hmm, I suppose you're right. What do you think they'll tell us about Rhia that she doesn't want us to know?"

"That depends on how we ask." Tyki stood. "We shouldn't keep them waiting for too long, now should we?" he asked with the faintest hint of a sadistic smirk on his face.

"No, I don't suppose we should." answered Road with a smile of her own. They both turned to leave, Tyki held the door for Road then put his hands in his pockets, and they followed the hall past Road's bedroom, down the third floor stair-case, paused at Rhiannon's door where Tyki knocked softly. Receiving no answer, he and Road continued to the foyer where they saw Sheril and the twin Fae they had met the night before.

"Ah, there you are Tyki. What took so long?" asked Sheril, slightly annoyed.

"He's stubborn and didn't want to get out of bed. Father, when do you think Rhia will wake up?"

"On her own time. She was awake before most of us yesterday, and, despite what she claims, I think she still isn't fully healed." Tyki had suspected the same, when he saw her limping slightly or stopping to lean on a wall or book-case to catch her breath, but hadn't voiced it yet for fear of upsetting Rhiannon. Whatever relationship there was between them, he didn't want to strain it and have her leave with the Fae who were currently seated in their dining room. Tyki put his hands back in his pockets then turned on his heel to follow his brother to the dining room, but was stopped by one of the twins. He had no idea if it was Dante or Marco, as they were identical.

"Sorry, but could you tell me something?" Tyki nodded. "How long has Rhiannon been here?" the twin asked. Tyki thought he could hear an Italian accent in his tenor voice.

"About two and a half weeks. Not very long." Although this was the truth, it felt like it had been much longer. _Must be because she's a Noah. We've met before this life._

"Huh. And she didn't mention wanting to contact anyone back home?"

"Not that I've heard. The way she spoke when she first came here, it seemed, to me at least, that she wasn't welcome back to her old home. And she was very surprised to see you all last night, said she thought you all hadn't made it out of the line of fire." Tyki said bluntly. He didn't want the Fae think he would be overly chummy with them.

"I... see. Well, uh, it's been, um, nice to talk to you?"

"Marco, c'mon, everyone else is in the dining room already!"

"I'll be right there, Dante! I guess I'll be seeing you around..." The young Fae, Marco, hung his head slightly and made his way to the dining room after his twin.

_That was too harsh... I'll have to apologize later, after I find out what Rhia is planning on doing after this._

* * *

Tyki sat in his usual place setting at the table, with Rhiannon's place between him and the Earl. The only notable difference in the place settings was the Exorcists now sat on the same side as the Noah, the Fae on the opposite side. On the side facing away from the door sat, in order, the Earl, Rhiannon's empty setting, Tyki, Road, Sheril, Devit, Jasdero, Lulu Bell, Allen, Lavi, Bookman, Lenalee, and Kanda. On the side facing the door sat, in order, a tall man with dark blonde hair and startling blue eyes who had introduced himself as Dietrich Tolstoy, Viktor, Luca, Cleona, Gideon, Dierdre, Ianto, Lena, Svetlana, Marco, Dante, Fyre, and a small young woman with white hair who had been introduced by Ianto as Lucretzia. She had yet to say a word.

The cooks were starting to bring out breakfast as Gideon, a younger man with dark blonde hair and cerulean eyes who stood at 5'8", was telling a story about how they had played a prank on Rhiannon's eldest brother several years ago. "And we had strung spider webs in between the fruit trees, so when he was chasing after us he would get tangled in them! Ah, the sight of the ever composed Anatoly covered in blackberry juice and spider silk is something I'll cherish for as long as I live." At that moment, Tyki heard the faint sound of footsteps approaching from behind him, and the Fae all stood.

"What are you all doing here?" he heard Rhiannon say, and turned in his chair to face her. The rest of the Noah and Exorcists did the same.

"Ah, Rhiannon~. Your friends got here about half an hour ago. Road wanted to wake you, but I asked her to wait. Perhaps now we can further explain the dynamics of our family~?"

"Well, thank you for letting me sleep. If they want to know more, and agree to telling their side I'm fine with it." Tyki pulled out her chair for her again, and she smiled when he pushed it back in after she had sat down. He noted that as soon as she was seated, the Fae also sat back down. _Odd. Must be because the Fae have different customs._

* * *

When I had sat down, one of the cooks ran out of the hidden door to the kitchen, and set my breakfast in front of me. "Who wants to start, then?" I asked, glancing around the room.

"I guess I will." said Dietrich, who, like his brother, had a Russian accent. "As you may have guessed, Rhiannon is our leader, and a close friend to all of us. When Xander went insane upon hearing that his twin sister, and not him, would become the next leader of the Dragomir clan, we were the ones who distracted him long enough for her to escape. Where she went after this, we didn't know." He turned to me, "After you had fled, Alexander halted his attack and disappeared. No one was seriously injured."

"Well, that's a weight off my shoulders. But... does my eldest brother know that I'm here?"

"A little trust, please. We wouldn't tell him even if he strung us up by our toenails from the rafters!" exclaimed Ianto.

I grimaced. "Thank you for that _lovely _image, Ian." I said sarcastically, shooting him a glare from the corner of my eye. He held up his hands in defense and apology.

"I'll explain a few things next, I suppose." said Sheril, to my surprise. "Rhia explained a great deal last night, but I'll reiterate for those who weren't there. We are part of a family known as the Noah, fifteen beings who are descendants of Noah himself. We are a group of people who possess supernatural powers, and have been reincarnated every generation for the last seven thousand years. Except Rhiannon, whose true name is Seraphiel, as during her first incarnation she was killed by the holder of the Heart of Innocence. I assume you know of Innocence and the Black Order." The Fae nodded. "Well, after this occurrence, none but the Earl, our leader, had any memory of Seraphiel, but the subconscious pain of losing her is what has fueled our fight with the Innocence, and, eventually, the Black Order."

Sheril looked to the Earl for confirmation. "I couldn't have said it better myself. Well, now that the introductions are over, please finish your breakfast~." said the Earl, who then stood and walked out, to where the other occupants of the room didn't know. I guessed he went to the library, where I had seen him for short periods of time for the last three days before the party.

* * *

For the next half hour, those who were still at the table ate and exchanged idle chit-chat, though for the most part stayed silent. _Well, this is an awkward silence if ever there was one.. _thought Tyki.

When the last plate had been cleared away, Dietrich said, "Ree... can I please speak with you. Alone." Tyki noted his aqua eyes flicked in his direction.

Rhiannon gave Tyki a searching glance, as if to see if he had any objections. Tyki kept his face a mask of calm, not giving away any emotion. "I guess. Shall we walk in the gardens?" Dietrich nodded once silently. They both stood and walked to the foyer. Allen caught Tyki's eyes from down the table, and, after waiting for a minute, they followed the two Fae. They paused in the foyer, where they saw Rhiannon and Dietrich pulling on heavy woolen coats. When the pair had shut the front door behind them, Allen and Tyki pulled their own coats from the closet, then followed as quietly as possible, and the snow helped to muffle any sound they made. _Never have I been so glad for snow. _After rounding the corner of the house, Allen and Tyki could see the Fae, who appeared to be having a heated argument. They could hear small pieces of the conversation, and what they did hear was unsettling.

"You have to come home! We need you, Ree."

"I know. But-"

"Don't you think about what will happen if you don't come back? Are you planning on abandoning your people?" Rhiannon hung her head in shame. Tyki and Allen slunk back around the corner and into the manor.

"This isn't good. If she leaves, the Earl won't be able to look any of us in the eye again." said Tyki, panic building in his eyes, fearful of what this news would do to the patriarch of the Noah clan.

"Yeah, and Road will go an a rampage if she finds out her new 'sister' is gone." remarked Allen. Tyki didn't know which terrified him more. The two whipped around when they heard the doorknob turning, looked back at each other, then sprinted up the stairs, down the hall, and into the library, firmly shutting the door behind them. "That was a little too close." exhaled Allen.

"Agreed. Think she saw us?"

"I doubt i-"

"Tyki! Where are you, we need to talk!"

"Uhh..."

"You're on your own." said Allen, who then took off to his own room on the third floor. Tyki stood frozen in the center of the library, once a sanctuary, now a trap. There wasn't a single place in the room that wasn't visible from the door, as all the bookcases were pushed against the walls to make room for the over-stuffed chairs and sofas. He was cornered, and didn't want to face Rhiannon after what he had just heard. Even the thought of losing her again was devastating. When he heard her footsteps approaching the library door, he panicked, and at the last second when the knob was turning, used his Choose ability to pass through the floor. He landed in the dining room, where he nearly landed on his older brother.

"Tyki, what the hell-"

"I need to hide. Rhia's looking for me, and she's really mad, and I can't let her find me!" he was rambling, and he didn't care. Seeing his younger brother so off-balance was a rare thing indeed, so Sheril simply ushered him into the ballroom, and, hearing someone drawing nearer, closed the door enough that Tyki could not be seen but could still hear the ensuing conversation. As soon as Sheril was ten feet from the door, Rhiannon burst into the room, obviously searching for someone.

"Sheril! Have you seen Tyki? I really need to talk to him." there was an edge to her voice Tyki couldn't understand.

"No, I haven't seen him since breakfast. Why, what's wrong my dear?"

"He heard something he shouldn't have, but he didn't hear all of it, and I need to explain." Tears started building audibly in her voice, causing it to crack. Tyki hated himself for being the source of her pain. "I just really need to find him, I, " she sobbed, "I can't lose him again." At this point, Tyki leaned his head just barely around the door to see what was going on. Sheril had pulled Rhia into a tight hug, muffling her crying.

"Go upstairs, I'm sure you'll find him." said Sheril as he released her. She nodded numbly, turned, and ran back to the foyer. When she was out of sight, Tyki pushed the door open, and was about to say something when Sheril cut him off. "Do not say a word. Just go." Without a reply, Tyki followed Rhiannon at a jog. She wasn't in the foyer or on the stair-case, so he made his way to the second floor. He first went to the music room, and, not finding her there, went to the library. _Damn. She's not here either. Must be on the third floor. _Tyki thought. As he exited the library, he spotted her walking down the opposite hall, head hanging, a soft, sad sigh escaping her lips. She didn't look up, even when Tyki started running to her, keeping her eyes on her feet.

As she was about to open her bedroom door, Tyki shouted, "Rhia!" and her head snapped up, just in time for Tyki to wrap his right arm around her slender waist, place his left hand behind her head, and kiss her on the lips, with more force than he originally intended. She didn't hesitate to kiss back, and Tyki could taste her tears. When they broke apart, Tyki said, "Well, at least I got to do that before you left."

Rhiannon huffed through her nose in annoyance. "That's what I wanted to tell you. I'm not leaving."

"You're not? But, I heard what Dietrich said. Aren't you going to help your family back home?"

"Sometimes you can be really dense, I hope you know that. I told him that the Noah are my family, that this is my home. I'm not leaving you." He could hear the sincerity in her words, and as an answer, Tyki embraced her again. Neither of them wanted to break away, until they heard a creak on the floorboards further down the hall. They turned their heads to see a dumb-struck Marco.

"So it's true, then. You're picking them over us."

* * *

**And the plot thickens! I am so sorry for the long wait. My only explanation is... I forgot how to fanfiction. I think a little clarification is needed on the placement of rooms. On the ground floor is the foyer, kitchens, dining room, formal sitting room, and attached through the French doors is the ballroom. On the second floor is Rhia's room, Lulu Bell's room, Lavi and Bookman's shared room, the library, music room, Sheril's study, informal sitting room( think a family room), and four guest rooms. On the third floor is the Earl's room, Tyki's room, Road's room, the twins shared room, Lenalee's room, Allen's room, Kanda's room, Sheril's room, and eight empty bedrooms for the remaining Noah. I'll try to update soon, but school is coming up, so it will be slower. And, I'm back to almost three thousand words this chapter. Also, have any of you noticed a change in my writing style? Please leave a review!  
**


	15. Heartache Tonight

_**...Chapter Fourteen: Heartache Tonight...**_

"Marco. What.. Wait, it's not what... Please let me explain!" I stuttered, not knowing what to say to console him, as I could see tears building in his jewel-tone eyes.

"What is there to explain?" he exhaled, barely audible. His previously devastated face went stoic, and he straightened to his full height. "This is your decision to make. Nothing we can say will change that." He turned on his heel and descended the stairs, presumably to tell the other Fae the news.

I huffed through my nose again, beyond exasperated with all the twenty-something men in the manor who didn't know how to listen through to the end of a conversation. "Why does no one ever listen to me?" I grumbled. I started after him, thought of something, or someone, else, turned back around, and pointed at Tyki accusingly, "And you!" He looked taken-aback. "Follow me. You all need to hear this, so we need to find the rest of the family." When he heard this he simply nodded solemnly, as the Noah were used to me calling them that by now. We started by knocking on the bedroom door of Lavi and Bookman, which was one down from the library. The door cracked open just as I knocked on the door of Sheril's study, which was just across the hall. "Wha's goin' on?" slurred Lavi, sleep heavy in his voice. I saw Tyki shrug, just as clueless. Sheril opened the door, the Earl visible behind him, and I could read the question in his amber eyes. "Please go to the dining room. I'm calling a family meeting." He raised an eyebrow, obviously confused about my sudden change in emotion, but chose to not question it. He turned to look at the Earl, who nodded silently, and they both walked past me to the stairs, Lavi and Bookman trailing behind them. Next, I knocked on Lulu Bell's door, which she opened almost immediately. Her blonde hair was pulled over her right shoulder and her eyes were obscured by dark glasses. "I'm calling a meeting, so please go to the dining room." She nodded and left, staying silent.

I heard someone shift their weight behind me, and turned to see Tyki standing awkwardly. "We need to get everyone from upstairs, too. I'll take the left, you take the right?"

* * *

Tyki and Rhia were racing through the top floor of the house, knocking on bedroom doors and explaining what was going on to those on the other side of them, and trying to keep track of everyone. The last door on the North end of the hall was Road's, and her face split into a grin upon seeing Tyki and Rhiannon standing at her door. Her smile fell when she saw their serious expressions.

"Can you come downstairs with us? I need to talk to everyone, and it would be easier if you're all in one place." she held out her right hand, which Road gladly took. Rhiannon turned to Tyki, who raised an eyebrow. She glared slightly, then swept past him to walk down the stairs, Road still attached to her. Tyki shook his head lightly, causing his long curly hair to brush his forehead, then followed. On the second floor he saw Road and Rhiannon half way to the grand stair-case. Road started to skip while still holding Rhiannon's hand, and she stumbled, nearly falling over. Rhiannon laughed, and Tyki couldn't help but stare. Her laugh sounded more like wind-chimes than any sound he had ever heard a human make. When he saw Road pouting, he just had to smile.

"Did you ladies plan on leaving without me?" Rhiannon turned to see him over her shoulder, laughter still in her eyes. She grinned and held out her left hand, and Tyki jogged over to twine his fingers with hers. When he did, he saw she was still wearing the black pearl ring, and gave her a questioning look. She shrugged, then motioned with her head in the direction of the stair-case. As they walked, Road swung her and Rhia's arms back and forth, until they got to the stairs. Road instantly let go and slid down the banister, giggling all the way. Rhiannon rolled her eyes at her antics, but Tyki read something deeper. "So, what's going through you mind right now?"

"Hm? Oh, nothing.. It's just.."

"Don't go all silent on me now. I thought you had gotten over that."

"I had been hoping to not get any of you involved in this. I don't want to lose my family again."

Tyki stopped in the middle of the foyer, tugging on her hand to turn her to face him. Confusion was written in her eyes. "We're much stronger than you are giving us credit for, Rhia. And besides, the other Noah are starting to awaken, and will no doubt join us in the fight." Confusion was replaced with gratitude. Tyki openly stared into her violet and cerulean eyes, feeling like he could drown in their depths, when loud voices echoed through the foyer from the dining room. Rhiannon sighed.

"I guess we should get this over with." she sighed. Tyki chuckled again, then led the way to the dining room. She paused in the door way, tensing.

Tyki squeezed her hand reassuringly. "You'll be alright. I know you will."

* * *

When I had walked through the doorway, I saw the Noah, Exorcists, and Fae sitting as they had been less than two hours before, but this time the Fae were arguing amongst themselves. In Irish. The Noah and Exorcists were looking on in a dazed silence, clearly not understanding a word. Even the mild-tempered Lucretzia was in on it. I caught the gist of the argument, though some of it was garbled with so many voices overlapping each other. Mostly, it was Dietrich, Viktor, and Cleona being yelled at by everyone else for, in their words, 'driving me away from our people'. Dietrich for being the cause of it, and Viktor and Cleona for defending him. As we got closer, the fight became more heated, some of them standing nose to nose.

"Hey, guys-" no one heard me.

"Guys!?" still nothing.

"_Guys!_" Ianto grabbed Viktor's collar.

"_Go leor!_" Everyone's eyes snapped to where I was standing, about ten feet inside the room, still a ways away from the table. "I didn't call you all here so you could fight!" I said in English.

Ianto turned his anger on me. "No, you didn't. You called us in here so you could tell us why the _hell _you're leaving your people to die!"

_And now everyone hates me, apparently... _"That's what I want to talk to you all about. I'm not leaving you alone in this fight," Road tried to protest, "but I belong here, with the Noah. As soon as this is over, I'm going home." I said as I sat down, Tyki sitting next to me. The Fae were completely dumbstruck.

"Well... then what about us? Why are we here?" asked Lavi.

"I wanted to ask you, the Exorcists, if you would be willing to help us."

"And why should we?" growled Kanda, glaring at me from his peripheral. "All you've been to us is trouble. First, we lose a potential lead for a new piece of Innocence, then we get kicked out of the Order. All because of you."

"You say that as if you _wanted_ to be an Order member! And don't go blaming Rhia for this!" shouted Allen.

"You're right, it isn't her fault." agreed Kanda, surprising everyone who knew him.

"Wait, you're actually agreeing with me?" asked Allen, cocking his head to the side.

"It's not Rhiannon's fault. It's yours, for coming up with that dumb-ass idea in the first place!"

"Ladies, you're both beautiful, now _shut. Up!_" I deadpanned. Both turned to me with differing states of disbelief on their faces. Allen looked honestly confused, while Kanda glared like he was planning my imminent demise. He probably was.

Lenalee cut off whatever he would try to say, "We'd be glad to help in any way we can, Rhia." Bookman and Lavi nodded in agreement.

"Earl, what are your thoughts on the matter?"

"Well, I'm sure the family would be happy to assist." said the Earl. The Noah all gave me _you're kidding me, right _looks, getting their point across.

"Now that that's settled, there's still the matter of training. I'm rather out of practice, and we need to see what everyone is capable of."

"Are ya sayin' we aren't tough enough to fight a few Fae?!" raged Devit.

"Yeah, we're tough, hee!" echoed Jasdero.

"That's not what I'm saying at all. What I meant was the Dark Fae are much different than anyone you have fought before. For one, they don't have a _shred _of humanity, nor do they pretend to. They are taught Dark magics from birth. They train in brutal conditions for years, sometimes centuries, and the higher-ups focus only on military precision. The lower ranks, the foot soldiers if you will, have been brain-washed to listen to their instincts alone, and are as blood-thirsty as they come. Tyki, Road, and the Exorcists have experienced this first-hand."

Everyone turned to those I had named. "It's true." said Allen. "They fought like they hadn't ever done anything else in their lives, and their eyes..." he trailed off.

"Their eyes were dead. They felt nothing, and none of our attacks seemed to hurt them." said Road, her expression haunted. Seeing her like this was very worrying, as far from her normal, peppy goth, giggly, lovably petulant self as could be. Tyki and Sheril rested comforting hands on her shoulders, then Road pulled herself into Sheril's lap. Normally this would result in a squeeing fit from Sheril, but he was uncharacteristically serious.

Dietrich looked on with a carefully blank expression. "I guess it's settled then. Is there a near-by forest that can be used for practices?" he asked Sheril.

"Ah, yes! Just behind the gardens is a forest that's been abandoned for centuries. The locals believe it to be haunted, so they'll avoid going there at all costs."

"Perfect." said Ianto.

Kanda stood, his chair scraping on the marble floor, scoffing.

"Well, now that Mr. Tall, Dark, and Snarky has left, who's ready to get started?" I asked. Lavi, who had just taken a sip of water, chocked, water spraying out his mouth and nose. Everyone else simply stared, too shocked for words. "What?" I asked innocently.

"You just... summed up his personality very well, is all." said Allen, blinking rapidly. I nodded silently, standing to leave for the newly dubbed training grounds, Tyki close behind.

"Rhia, wait!" I heard from behind me when I had reached the doorway. I turned just in time to catch a large black bag before it could hit me. "I think you'll be wanting that." said Dietrich, the first semi-kind thing he had said to me all day. Based on the weight, I could guess just what it was. Tyki gave me a questioning look.

"I'll be right back, I just need to take a short trip to my room." I said, giving his hand a short squeeze.

* * *

Tyki leaned against the wall of the foyer to the right of the door, as far from Dietrich as possible. Allen stood next to him, as the two had developed a strange friendship over the last two and a half weeks. Something along the lines of _You don't kill my friends, and I won't kill your family, and we can both still be close to Rhia. _This was something both parties had agreed to, and had discovered that they had more in common than being very good at (cheating in) poker.

"D'you have any idea what she's doing?" drawled Tyki.

"Not the foggiest." answered Allen.

"Tykiii, I'm _borrredd!_" yelled Road, jumping on her uncle's shoulders.

"I'm sure Rhia'll be back soon." he said.

"Yeah, can't be too much longer now." said Lavi, coming up next to Allen. As he said this, they heard a door shut on the second floor, and the distinct click of heels. When Rhiannon rounded the corner, Tyki's mind went utterly blank. "Uh... Is that her?" mumbled Lavi.

Tyki could swear he didn't know the woman descending the stairs. She was wearing black leather pants , four-inch tall thigh-high, black boots with red lacing, and a pure white, strapless corset with a thin silver chain wrapped several times through the belt loops sewn onto it, with an intricate braid/bun. As she was walking, she pulled black fingerless gloves up above her elbows. A bow and quiver were strapped across her back, and a gun was holstered to her right thigh. Her lips were painted a deep red and her eyes were darkened with kohl. When she was about twelve feet from where they were standing, dumbstruck, she took her eyes off her gloves to meet Tyki's gaze. When their eyes met, he confirmed it was in fact Rhiannon.

"What. Is this really so shocking?" she asked.

"Uh... yeah, a bit." said Tyki.

Dietrich sighed loudly, then said, "So, what are we gonna do to test their abilities."

"Hmm, how about... capture the flag?"

* * *

**Yay, update! If any of you want more detail on Rhia's hair, Google the Mord'Sith from Legend of the Seeker. It's pretty close. For any of you who may be thinking I just turned Tyki into a total romantic and messed with his character too much, please remember he's been waiting for this girl for over seven thousand years. Distance makes the heart grow fonder. And I kinda turned Rhiannon into a crybaby... Oops. A little explanation is needed on that. Before she came to live with the Noah, she lived in a very sexist society, with four older brothers. She's always been told she wouldn't amount to much, and the only thing she could truly control were her emotions. The only way she could break out of that was to join the army, and that's how we find her now. Anyway! School has sort of started for me, so updates will be slower. Please leave a review, that's what makes being an author so great! Loves to all! And, the title for this chapter will make more sense later.  
**


End file.
